Scottish Independence Referendum: Your Vote

IveSeenTheLight

Yes

Thrugelmir wrote: »

The size of the Company has no bearing on the cost of production. The big players will withdraw if there are larger reserves with more potential elsewhere. Which makes redeployment of resources more cost effective given the scale of the operation. Smaller operators will require more external support in the form of outsourcing if anything. Thereby pushing up costs of extraction and transportation.

You are correct that larger operators can focus their attention on more efficient returns i.e. Marathons announcement to leave the North Sea to focus on shale gas in North America, however the smaller operators do have a cheaper cost basis to make it worth their while to take on.

IveSeenTheLight

Yes

Thrugelmir wrote: »

UK is looking to link with Iceland for electricity generation. So threats that Scotland can hold the UK to ransom are over egged in the long term.

Did you look further into this.
Where is the proposed submarine line from Iceland proposed to be connected to?

It's also interesting to consider how Scotland has advanced with regards to renewable energy and the SNP's vision for Scotland's to be self sufficient in terms of Electricity use and generation by 2020.

When the 2020 target was issued, it was lauded as being to ambitious and unachievable.
It seems that Scotland is ahead of it's targets to achieve 100% supply from renewable energy by 2020.

Another example of how Scotland can lead the way

The_Angry_Jock

Funny you should talk about renewables, I was wandering about the Whitelee windfarm earlier today, mindboggling scale...and an improvement to that ugly moor.

zagubov

Thrugelmir wrote: »

In 2009 the UK ranked 40th in the world for proven gas reserves (BP's figures). So I wouldn't get overly excited about a lack of gas. Given the US will be a net exporter in a few years time as well.

The issue for North Sea extraction is the cost. Without a high price then the return may negate any investment.

UK is looking to link with Iceland for electricity generation. So threats that Scotland can hold the UK to ransom are over egged in the long term.

I see the plans for importing electricity from windfarms in the Irish midlands are also falling apart. They were once touted as an alternative to buying leccy from Scotland.

Better luck with getting it from Iceland. It'd be coming through Scotland's grid of course.

baldelectrician

Yes

Thrugelmir wrote: »

In 2009 the UK ranked 40th in the world for proven gas reserves (BP's figures). So I wouldn't get overly excited about a lack of gas. Given the US will be a net exporter in a few years time as well.

The issue for North Sea extraction is the cost. Without a high price then the return may negate any investment.

UK is looking to link with Iceland for electricity generation. So threats that Scotland can hold the UK to ransom are over egged in the long term.

The energy from Iceland / Ireland misses one succinct point- if there is a currency union then Scottish electricity and energy won't be an import which worsens the balance of payments deficit.

If the UK import power from Ireland or anywhere outside the UK then their balance of payments will worsen

The more you look at it the more an independent Scotland using the £ Sterling makes sense for both parties.
If Scotland were to use their own £ then the UK balance of payments would go through the floor.
You forget the Clyde basin, which is in shallower water, more sheltered and closer to the population centres
I'm not- gas and oil is a bonus (unless you are from the Westminster bubble where it becomes a curse on an independent Scotland and an asset for the UK)