Importance of exploration and appraisal drilling to employment in the oil and gas industry in United Kingdom continental shelf

Abstract

The successive rise in the importance of the oil and gas industry in Scotland has generated tremendous economic growth. Scotland’s dependence on oil and gas related employment has increased dramatically over the years since the first oil strike in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS) in September 1969. This study is able to identify that Exploration and Appraisal (E&A) activity within the oil and gas industry in the UK is a strong determinant of the rise and fall of employment. There is a clear and strong positive correlation between these two variables.