Rethink urged on gas tax amid fears for future of production

Energy company Centrica said it may shut down one of its major gas fields permanently because of the tax rise, while industry body Oil & Gas UK said North Sea oil platforms could be taken out of service prematurely because of fears over the cost of decommissioning them.

Centrica, which owns British Gas, has warned that it may not reopen one of three fields in Morecambe Bay which it is closing for maintenance, after Chancellor George Osborne increased the supplementary tax on oil and gas production from 20 per cent to 32 per cent in this year’s Budget.

The group claimed UK oil and gas producers now faced some of the highest taxes in the world, making profits on sites marginal.

The tax increase, which will bring the Chancellor an extra £1.8bn, is particularly significant for mature fields, as profits on these will be taxed at 81 per cent.

Centrica has closed the Morecambe Bay North and Rivers gas fields for about four weeks’ planned maintenance.

The South Morecambe field has also been shut for an unspecified period of work, and it is this field which may not be reopened.

Instead, Centrica said it may look to buy gas for its customers on the wholesale markets, which could work out cheaper than re-starting the field.

A Centrica spokesman said: “Following the increase in supplementary corporation tax in the Budget, UK oil and gas producing fields are now subject to some of the highest levels of tax in the world – our South Morecambe field is now taxed at 81 per cent.

“At these higher tax rates, Morecambe’s profitability can be marginal. Accordingly, we may choose to buy gas for our customers in the wholesale markets in preference to restarting the field after planned maintenance.”

Morecambe Bay produces around six per cent of the UK’s annual gas requirements, and 12 per cent of residential gas demand.

The company uses the field to ensure the UK has gas when it needs it, such as during the winter, when imported gas is very expensive.

Oil & Gas UK warned that North Sea oil platforms could be taken out of service prematurely because of fears over how much it will cost the industry to decommission them.

Decommissioning the platforms costs companies around £29bn, but they have previously been able to re-claim some of the cost as tax relief.

However, firms will not be able to claim back the recent increase in the supplementary tax against these decommissioning costs.