Written by the leading expert in the history of UK energy, this study provides new, in-depth analysis of the development of UK petroleum policies towards the North Sea based on full access to the Government’s relevant archives.

Originally published in 1980, this book presents a comparative analysis of British and Norwegian oil policies, focusing on the interdependence and bargaining relationship between governments and oil companies, as well as the policy choices, concerns and constraints for the two governments. The perspective is largely that of a government planner, whose main concerns are the long-term and complex interests of the state, orderly development as well as social and political stability.

Originally published in 1980, this book presents a comparative analysis of British and Norwegian oil policies, focusing on the interdependence and bargaining relationship between governments and oil companies, as well as the policy choices, concerns and constraints for the two governments. The perspective is largely that of a government planner, whose main concerns are the long-term and complex interests of the state, orderly development as well as social and political stability.

This book addresses energy research from four distinct International Political Economy perspectives: energy security, governance, legal and developmental areas. Energy is too important to be neglected by political scientists. Yet, within the mainstream of the discipline energy research still remains a peripheral area of academic enquiry seeking to plug into the discipline’s theoretical debates. The purpose of this book is to assess how existing perspectives fit with our understanding of social science energy research by focusing on the oil and gas dimension.

Written by the leading expert in UK petroleum economics, this study provides a new, unique, in-depth analysis of the development of British policies towards the North Sea oil and gas industry from the early 1960s to the early 1980s. Drawing on full access to the UK Government’s relevant archives, Alex Kemp examines the thinking behind the initial legislation in 1964, the early licensing arrangements and the events leading up to the boundary delimitation agreements with Norway and other adjacent North Sea countries. He explains the debate in the later 1960s about the appropriate role of the state in the exploitation of the gas and oil resources, the prolonged negotiations resulting in the early long-term gas contracts, and the continuing debate on the role of the state following the large oil discoveries in the first half of the 1970s resulting in the formation of BNOC (British National Oil Corporation). The debate leading up to the introduction of, and subsequent increase in, the Petroleum Revenue Tax is fully explained as is the introduction of Supplementary Petroleum Duty. The author also outlines the debates around interventionist depletion policies and on how the oil revenues should best be utilised. The Official History of North Sea Oil and Gas will be of much interest to students of North Sea oil and gas, energy economics, business history, and British politics, as well as to petroleum professionals and policymakers.

Seven papers which were presented to an international conference held in Torsberg, Norway. All have been revised for publication and are followed by a summary of the discussion in the relevant session.

The books in this set, originally published between 1927 and 1996 discuss the oil industry and its impact on the world economy in the twentieth century. The issues of trade, tax and energy policies as well as national security are all relevant to the economics politics of oil and the volumes analyse and discuss: The extent to which American dominance in world affairs is based on the control of oil resources and the changes which will inevitably take place with the end of the oil era. Discernible trends in such crucial areas as global petroleum supply and pricing, and the international economic and political implications of both. The role of wealth maximisation, and wealth satisficing The impact of North Sea oil and gas on the British economy. Relations between oil exporters and importers, and between the USA, Europe and the Arab world The most important strategic issues facing both the producers and consumers of oil and gas.