Norfolk could be set for a major role as the energy powerhouse of Britain - with drilling for gas off the county's coast potentially fast-tracked amid the nation's power crisis.
Parts of the North Sea are to be targeted for priority exploration for gas to keep East Anglia, London and the South East supplied with power in the future.
The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), the offshore industry’s regulator, has offered licences for 898 ‘blocks’ of the UK’s seabed for exploration, dozens of which are off the Norfolk coast.
It will mean energy companies can bid for exclusive licences to explore, and potentially recover, any oil or gas they find.
Amid concerns over the long-term security of the country's energy supplies amid Russia's conflict in Ukraine, the government will fast-track some of the licences to allow oil and gas finds to be developed rapidly.
That could see gas being brought ashore in Norfolk for distribution in less than five years time - and bring an economic boost for county industries in the energy sector, such as companies in Great Yarmouth.
Prime minister and South West Norfolk Liz Truss has stoked controversy through her plans for more drilling in the North Sea - and for her support for fracking, with Greenpeace protestors interrupting her Conservative party conference speech.
But Duncan Baker, North Norfolk Conservative MP said: "Whilst we race to 2050 and our net zero targets, the war in Ukraine has taught us that we desperately need more energy security.
"We also have to recognise that we still have a reliance on oil and gas and in accepting that, we still need fossil fuels as we continually shift our energy mix to greener alternatives.
"It is better to thus explore our own resources than creating a bigger carbon footprint, importing it from abroad.
"If we can bring down prices, create better energy security and be less reliant on importing, this fast tracked licensing round is a sure sign of the new government delivering on their promise of supply side reforms on top of the most comprehensive energy support package in Europe.”
And Dr Andy Samuel, NSTA chief executive, said: "This licensing round includes gas discoveries in the Southern North Sea which can be rapidly tied back to existing infrastructure.
“Security of supply and net zero should not be in conflict."
Announcing the latest round of licence applications, which will be open until January, business and energy secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine means it is now more important than ever that we make the most of sovereign energy resources, strengthening our energy security now and into the future.
“Ensuring our energy independence means exploiting the full potential of our North Sea assets to boost domestic production – recognising that producing gas in the UK has a lower carbon footprint than importing from abroad."
Mike Tholen, acting chief executive of Offshore Energies UK, the trade body for the offshore energy industry, said: "The UK gets 75pc of its total energy from gas and oil so producing our own reduces our vulnerability to global shortages of the kind caused by the Ukraine conflict.
"Our industry is committed to net zero and also to helping build the low-carbon energy systems of the future. But this is a journey that will take decades, during which we will still need gas and oil.
“New licences also help maintain continuity for the energy operators and for our vital supply chain companies which, between them, employ over 200,000 people."
Chris Starkie, chief executive of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Norfolk and Suffolk’s energy sector is leading the way in the transition to net zero – with multi-million pound investments in offshore wind, solar, nuclear and hydrogen.
"This transition is built on more than 50 years experience in the offshore gas sector. Gas has a role to play during this transition and the new licensing rounds has the potential to provide opportunity for dozens of businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk and continued job opportunities, particularly in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.”
But Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have criticised the renewed focus on North Sea drilling.
Greenpeace UK’s chief scientist Dr Doug Parr said: “Unleashing a North Sea drilling frenzy isn’t a plan to help bill payers but a gift to the fossil fuel giants already making billions from this crisis.
“New oil and gas could take a quarter of a century to pump out, will be eventually sold at global prices, and have no real impact on energy bills, yet still fuel the climate crisis.”
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