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
6 February 2026
The long close relationship between key supplier Qatar and pivotal buyer Japan becomes even deeper following new landmark deal
6 February 2026
Partnerships across the LNG value chain have evolved over time, growing in both complexity and importance, according to panellists at LNG2026
6 February 2026
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
5 February 2026
While broadly supportive of EU efforts to tackle methane emissions, representatives of the gas industry warn it could deter supply contracting if timelines and compliance requirements are not made more pragmatic






