Donald Trump has urged the UK to “open up the North Sea” in an apparent criticism of the country’s energy transition policies.
The US president-elect made the comments in a post on his social media network Truth Social.
Posting a link to an article referencing oil and gas operator Apache’s decision to exit the North Sea, Trump said the UK is “making a very big mistake”.
The American firm announced in November that it would cease operations in the UK by the end of 2029, blaming the impact of changes to the windfall tax in the recent budget.
Other North Sea operators including Serica Energy, Deltic Energy and Harbour Energy have also made moves to reduce their investments in the UK due to the fiscal changes.
In the same post, Trump also urged the UK to “get rid of windmills”, continuing his longstanding opposition to offshore wind farms.
© ShutterstockTrump has been a vocal critic of offshore wind farms in Scotland for over a decade and unsuccessfully campaigned against a development near his Aberdeenshire golf resort.
Trump holds business interests in several seaside golf resorts in Scotland, including Trump International in Balmedie and Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire, and has plans to open a second course in Aberdeenshire later this year.
During his recent election campaign, Trump also pledged to scrap offshore wind projects in the US on “day one” of his second term as president.
Energy analysts expect Trump to pursue policies to encourage growth in US oil production when his second term begins on 20 January.
The president-elect has selected oil and gas industry executive and climate policy critic Chris Wright to serve as US energy secretary in a sign the world’s largest economy is set for a change in policy direction once current president Joe Biden steps down.
Trump has also vowed to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden’s signature climate bill which introduced significant tax credits aimed at spurring growth in green industries.
North Sea operators ‘would be pleased to welcome Trump’
Responding to Trump’s comments, a spokesperson for trade body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) said: “The UK needs a diverse energy mix from the North Sea including oil, gas and offshore wind.
“Total energy production in the UK is at record lows with the country reliant on energy imports of oil, gas, and electricity for almost 40% of domestic energy demand.
© Supplied by Apache“It’s essential to attract investment across the energy mix to meet the nation’s energy needs and keep jobs, firms and their supply chains here in the UK.
“The best way to protect consumers and provide secure affordable energy is to produce as much of it as we can in the UK.”
Meanwhile, Serica Energy chief financial officer Martin Copeland welcomed Trump’s comments.
“If our politicians find it hard to stand up for our domestic oil and gas industry and cling to an ideological but insane energy policy, it is good to know that at least a US politician is prepared to support us,” Copeland said.
“If he wants to come visit his golf course, I am sure the Aberdeen North Sea operators would be pleased to welcome him.”
Damian Bates, co-author of a supportive book about about Trump and former editor-in-chief of the Press and Journal in Aberdeen, also took to LinkedIn to support the incoming US president’s comments.
He added: “Good to see that the President elect of the United States believes in the future of the North Sea as part of our energy security.
What a shame our own leaders don’t.
“I know he watches the economy of the UK, and Scotland in particular, very closely.
Isn’t it time that the UK government saw common sense and backed domestic gas production as part of our energy – and economic – security and the just transition?”
Trump comments ‘betray his ignorance’
Meanwhile, Trump’s post also garnered a strong reaction from environmental activist group Greenpeace.
Greenpeace UK chief scientist Doug Parr said Trump’s comments “betray his total ignorance of the realities of the UK’s energy situation”.
“Jobs in Britain’s offshore sector have halved in the last decade despite over 400 new licenses being issued: whether Trump likes it or not, the North Sea basin – and the industry it supports – is in terminal decline,” Parr said.
“Every major UK political party agrees that investing in offshore wind is an essential means to improve our economic and energy security, create jobs and control bills for households across the country.
“The US president-elect is speaking not on behalf of people in the UK, but his own ‘drill baby drill’ agenda and the Big Oil bosses who poured millions into his campaign.”
In response to Trump’s comments, a UK government spokesperson told Energy Voice: “Our priority is a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea in line with our climate and legal obligations, and we will work with the sector to protect current and future generations of good jobs.
“We need to replace our dependency on unstable fossil fuel markets with clean, homegrown power controlled in Britain – which is the best way to protect billpayers and boost our energy independence.”
Trump’s comments come amid concerns that UK cross-party climate consensus is at risk as the Conservatives and Reform UK continue to criticise Labour’s net zero policies.
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