Scotland risks the loss of industry and access to its own secure energy if political parties do not unite behind the country’s offshore energy sector, an industry body has warned.
Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) made the warning ahead of the launch of its own Scottish election manifesto.
Its key ask is that the Scottish Government takes an “all-energy” approach to fossil fuels and renewables, while urging against dividing the sector’s workforce into “clean” and “dirty” industries.
It is also urging political leaders to back continued oil and gas extraction in Scotland including in the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields.
OEUK said, in 2024, the UK’s offshore energy industry contributed more than £36 billion to the economy and supported more than 240,000 jobs nationwide.
More than half of those jobs – 128,400 (53%) – are based in Scotland, adding £24 billion to the economy.
OEUK said the figures were not just numbers but “livelihoods, families, and the lifeblood of towns and cities across the country”.
The group said that despite Scotland’s “world-class” resources, the UK imported more than 40% of its energy in 2024 – the highest level in more than a decade.
OEUK added that the trend was being “driven by policy choices, not geology, and risks industrial collapse”.
Urging for “pragmatism over polarisation”, the industry body said: “OEUK is clear: it is time for all political parties to back Scotland’s energy sector.”
David Whitehouse, chief executive of the group, said: “Scotland’s offshore energy sector is the backbone of our economy, our communities, and our future.
“In 2024 alone, the UK’s offshore energy industry added over £36 billion to the economy and supported more than 240,000 jobs, with 128,400 of them here in Scotland.
“These are not just statistics; they represent livelihoods, families and the lifeblood of towns and cities across our country.
“In recent months, we have seen the closure of the refinery at Grangemouth and the chemical site at Mossmorran and, with these closures, the loss of skilled jobs vital to the Scottish economy. It does not have to be this way.
“With an integrated approach that builds on our strengths, Scotland’s industrial future can be anchored for decades to come. Decarbonisation must deliver re-industrialisation.
“That means supporting domestic oil and gas production, creating a fiscal and regulatory framework that encourages investment and approving Rosebank and Jackdaw while building our world class renewables; urgently reforming transmission charges, committing to carbon storage at Acorn and supporting Scotland’s industrial sector.
“Scottish support for Scottish industry matters, and now is the time for all political parties to back our sector.”
