Back to overview Home Fossil Energy UK’s North Sea industry demands action on prioritizing domestic energy UK’s North Sea industry demands action on prioritizing domestic energy Regulation & Policy May 27, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic Share this article As the North Sea offshore energy industry voices urge the UK government to put an end to reliance on imports, Britain’s trade body for the offshore energy industry, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), has emphasized the need for the government to focus on unlocking homegrown power of supply to mitigate the effects of the escalating global energy crisis, which is caused by the war in Iran. Illustration; Source: Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) Calling for a new coordinated response to the worsening global energy crisis in the wake of the Middle East conflict, the North Sea energy trade body held emergency talks with industry leaders on May 20, 2026, which were attended by executives from major energy companies active in the UK North Sea. OEUK points out that the domestic offshore energy industry and its supply chain support more than 240,000 UK jobs and contribute £36 billion ($48.4 billion) annually to the UK economy. The government is moving to relax sanctions on Russia imposed since the invasion of Ukraine, allowing the import of jet fuel and diesel from third countries. However, Offshore Energies UK is urging the immediate prioritization of domestic energy production, encompassing North Sea oil and gas as well as renewables, as the lessons from Iran and Ukraine show that countries that produce their own energy are more resilient. This content is available after accepting the cookies. Change cookie-settings View on Offshore-energy. UK signals readiness for oil & gas tax shift with £50 billion energy investment in play David Whitehouse , Chief Executive of OEUK, commented:  “The evidence we have heard at this morning’s meeting makes clearer than ever the need to prioritise homegrow