Battling the Brexit blues

The UK's planned withdrawal from the EU in 2019 is causing uncertainties for the North Sea industry at a time when it could do without them

Just as the UK oil and gas industry starts feeling the rejuvenating effects of an oil-price recovery, the threat of a "hard" Brexit is adding a significant dimension of risk for an industry fighting to extend its life. Aberdeen, the main base for the North Sea industry, has always been international in its outlook. UK exports in oil and gas-related goods and services worldwide was worth around £73bn in 2016, representing about 5% of all UK trade. The sub-sea sector alone, which is entrenched in a corridor to the west of Aberdeen, exports £7.5bn worth of goods and services a year. And wherever in the world there's an oil and gas hub, there's a good chance the native accent of north-east Scot