UK establishes working group to help land Chinese projects

By the OGJ Online Staff
LONDON, Oct. 25 -- UK Energy Minister Brian Wilson established a China-Britain Natural Gas Working Group to strengthen links and identify business opportunities.

Wilson, who is on a trade mission in China, told the Beijing Energy Forum, "The UK has 25 years of experience in legislation, regulation, and use. We have committed ourselves to assist and collaborate with China in many aspects of developing a natural gas market. The working group will share this experience and help ensure that the development is both safe and environmentally acceptable.

"There are four key areas of collaboration -- policy creation, gas supply, infrastructure, and the utilization of natural gas in China. I am particularly interested in the promotion of joint ventures to fill identified capability gaps in China. This will enable more activity between Chinese and UK businesses."

He said that in 2002, there would be a record 18 trade missions for small and medium sized companies from the UK to China, including a substantial degree of activity in the energy sector.

He added, "I emphasize that we are not only supporting our major companies like Royal Dutch/Shell Group and BP PLC who are well-established in China, but also the many companies which have developed expertise in our own North Sea oil and gas industry which can contribute to the industry's development here."