OBR lowers forecast for UK oil and gas revenues
A new report has lowered forecasts for UK oil and gas revenues by an average of £600million per year to 2024.
budget
Scottish Budget investment boost for ‘critical’ apprenticeships
Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has pledged to support apprentices by allocating more than £200million to enhance their skills and development.
Stable tax measures are welcomed by oil industry
The oil and gas industry welcomed the chancellor’s announcement on stable tax measures and plans to make Scotland a “global decommissioning hub”.
Tax expert says nasty surprises for North Sea in upcoming Budget unlikely
The Chancellor is unlikely to spring any nasty surprises on the UK oil and gas industry in next week’s Budget, a tax expert has said.
‘No-deal’ Budget prepared
Philip Hammond has warned that the UK economy will have to strike out in a “different direction” if the Government is unable to agree a Brexit deal with Brussels.
Treasury ‘reaffirms commitment’ to North Sea
The UK Treasury has “reaffirmed” the UK government’s commitment to the North Sea in a visit to Aberdeen yesterday.
Saudi Arabia unveils its 2018 budget: economists’ reaction
Saudi Arabia released its second budget since unveiling proposals to reduce the kingdom’s dependence on oil. Here economists comment on the numbers, prospects for crude prices and the direction of government policy.
Innovation key theme of Scottish Budget, Sturgeon says
Nicola Sturgeon has said investing in innovation to increase productivity will be a key focus of the Scottish Budget.
Oil drilling in Alaska refuge hits snag over Budget protocol
A bid to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling faces a hold up over an arcane budget rule, a development that may mean it can’t be included in the tax overhaul legislation.
SNP calls for extra North Sea support measures
The SNP has issued a series of further demands to the UK Treasury to help revitalise the oil and gas sector – claiming the Budget measures “fall short” of the action required.
Opinion: Apart from oil sector tax break, Budget was an anti-climax
As the dust settles on the first Autumn Budget for over two decades, one might reasonably conclude it was, outside of the oil and gas sector, a bit of an anti-climax.
KPMG says oil tax reform ‘levels playing field’
KPMG has said that ground-breaking new oil and gas tax rules would create a "level playing field" for North Sea investors.
Tax break could lead to rush of deals in North Sea
A ground-breaking new tax break for the oil sector will revitalise the North Sea and pave the way for a flurry of deals, industry experts said yesterday.
Budget: OGUK welcomes vital tax reforms for North Sea
Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) has welcomed the government's decision to introduce transferable tax history for the oil and gas sector.
Budget: Tax history reform a ‘positive step forward’, Shell says
Oil major Shell said today called the decision to introduce transferable tax history for the oil and gas sector was a positive step forward.
Opinion: Tax history reform complex, but not impossible
The UK oil and gas industry has good reason to be expectant of further changes to the oil and gas fiscal regime in Wednesday’s Budget.
Opinion: EY’s Derek Leith on what to expect from the Budget
Traditionally the first Budget of a new Parliament might be expected to lay the foundation for the remainder of the parliamentary term, and set out the broad framework of policy that the Government expect to implement.
Opinion: Taking down the decommissioning barrier to M&A
The fall in the world price of crude has been at the centre of a number of obstacles that are currently stifling many North Sea M&A transactions. This factor, along with a lack of acquisition finance and the persistent gap between the price sellers want for assets and the one buyers are prepared to pay, is making valuations hard to land. Where late life assets are concerned, decommissioning liabilities, which can often erode any value in what might otherwise be a viable transaction, are proving another major issue, preventing many deals from getting over the line.
Budget overshadowed by gaffe on unemployment
Chancellor Philip Hammond has been branded “out of touch” after he was forced to clarify his remark that “there are no unemployed people”.
Opinion: UK Government must support oil industry with Budget
As an industry which remains vitally important to the Scottish, and UK, economy, the Scottish Government has long been a vocal champion of North Sea oil and gas.
Budget wish-list letter sparks bitter row between Tories, SNP
The north-east's Tory MPs have thrown their weight behind an appeal to the Chancellor to give the oil and gas industry more support in next month’s Budget.
Energy Voice: The burning questions
Every Friday, Energy Voice will ask readers to give their views on some of the hot topics affecting the oil and gas sector. The questionnaire will be kept open for several days to allow as much participation as possible. For our inaugural “Energy Voice: The burning questions”, we want your opinions on the Spring Budget.
SNP opponents blast independence case in oil revenues row
Scottish Conservative Leader Ruth Davidson has accused the SNP Government of doing “nothing for the north-east” in a fiery exchange over oil and gas revenues.
EV Guest Editor Derek Leith: Hard work lies ahead to reform North Sea tax relief
It’s fair to say Philip Hammond’s first (and last) Spring Budget as Chancellor followed the same approach as his first (and last) Autumn Statement – no vote-grabbing gimmicks, no rabbits out of the hat, steady as she goes.
Shell hails Budget as ‘another step forward’ for North Sea
Shell said today's Budget marked "another step forward" in the oil and gas industry's quest to squeeze out as many barrels out of the North Sea as it can.