UK prime minister Boris Johnson
Johnson reaffirms commitment to UKCS oil and gas
Prime minister sees a role for the basin in greater UK energy independence, as lobby group puts its head above the parapet on windfall tax calls
UK leader Boris Johnson discussed increasing investment in the North Sea oil and gas industry and boosting supplies of domestic gas in a Monday roundtable of offshore oil and gas industry leaders. On the same day, one of the roundtable participants, lobby group Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), was emboldened to publicly refute the efficacy of a windfall tax on UK-based producers advocated by several of Johnson’s political opponents. The two may not be coincidental. The roundtable conversations included how the UK can remove barriers facing investors and developers and help North Sea projects come online more quickly. The government and industry agreed to work together to help accelerate this fur
Also in this section
2 April 2026
Alongside a rapid continued build-out of renewables, China’s latest five-year plan stresses the value of domestic hydrocarbon production for energy security and calls for increased Russian gas imports
2 April 2026
The government is taking important steps to revive domestic production, lift investment and benefit from the geopolitical crisis even if more needs to be done in the longer term
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
