Buying British in the North Sea Available to Purchase

Effective communication will be a key factor over the next two years as British industry strives to increase its share of North Sea oil and gas reserves. The pressure group British Indigenous Technology (BRIT) has been pursuing the following proposals at the British government's Offshore Supplies Office (OSO): to persuade overseas companies (whether established or newly arrived) to joint venture with British firms; to monitor and discourage foreign take‐overs; to take specific action on the offshore support‐vessel front (if necessary, unilaterally against Norway or any other country operating restrictive practices); to improve linkage between industrial strategy and mechanisms for licensing/production approval; and campaigning against customer prejudices. There are proposals for the development of indigenous technology calling for increased R&D expenditure and practical input from operators in identifying projects highly relevant to development requirements; and proposals for the increase of exports, in particular improved export finance facilities and review of tax treatment for employees of British firms working temporarily overseas.