UKOOG comment on Scottish parliament vote

1 June 2016

UKOOG, the representative body for UK onshore oil and gas, is disappointed at the vote today by the Scottish Parliament.

Ken Cronin, chief executive of UKOOG, said:

"The Scottish Government announced a process in January 2015 which included a research phase and then a public consultation phase. This is not due to finish until the summer of 2017. UKOOG and its members have been participating in this process from the beginning and will continue to do so.

"The process is meant to present the facts to the Scottish people and so we are disappointed today to see that some within the Scottish parliament are trying to derail it.

"We are confident as an industry based on over 50 years of experience both onshore and offshore that hydraulic fracturing can be done safely and environmentally sensitively within the regulatory environment in Scotland.

"We have had a well regulated industry in Scotland for many decades. We have drilled over 30 wells in the last 20 years. One of the first hydraulic fractures in the UK took place in Airdrie nearly 50 years ago and fracking also took place inside the Glasgow city boundary in 1989 at Easterhouse.

"The Oil and Gas Industry has made a huge contribution to the economy of Scotland. Onshore gas and oil will benefit the Scottish economy, not only directly, with jobs created through oil and gas extraction, but also indirectly, as oil and gas is a critical raw material for the chemicals industry at facilities such as Grangemouth.

"The onshore oil and gas industry has also committed to a multimillion pound programme of benefits for local communities and stakeholders as well as boosting contributions to local councils."

Contact:

Newgate Communications:

Jason Nisse/Deborah Saw/Simon Marlow This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0207 680 6550

About UKOOG:

UKOOG is the representative body for the UK onshore oil and gas industry, including exploration, production and storage. The organisation's objectives are to enhance the profile of the onshore industry, promote better and more open dialogue with key stakeholders, deliver industry wide initiatives and programmes and to ensure standards in safety, the environment and operations are maintained to the highest possible level. Membership is open to all companies active in the onshore industry including those involved in the supply chain. www.ukoog.org.uk