The UK is still forecast to need 50 billion cubic metres of gas in 2030, of which nearly 80pc will have to come from imports.
Claire Coutinho, the Conservative shadow energy secretary, said: “Ed Miliband’s ideological crusade against the North Sea is so dangerous, it will only make us more reliant on foreign imports with higher emissions. That’s why we’ve got to get Britain drilling.”
Concerns about the rapidly dwindling North Sea output come as Mr Miliband prepares to take a closely watched decision on whether to approve the massive Rosebank oil field west of Shetland and the similarly huge Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea.
Both have been held up by legal wrangling but could now be approved without breaching Mr Miliband’s promise not to allow new exploration.
In opposition, Mr Miliband described both projects as “climate vandalism”. However, Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, and Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, have both signalled in private meetings with industry leaders that they support the projects.
Ms Reeves promised this week to unlock “tens of millions” of barrels of oil and gas in the North Sea after announcing new rules allowing “tie-back”, which is a licence to drill new fields near existing ones.
