Britain to licence new oil and gas North Sea activity -minister

LONDON - Britain sees a "good, solid" future for the North Sea's oil and gas industry and will issue new licences to expand output in the future, Energy Minister Greg Hands said on Tuesday.

"We need continued investment into the North Sea," Hands told the International Energy Week online conference.

The British government will hold new licencing rounds to explore for more oil and gas resources and ensure that they are "compatible" with the country's climate obligations to cut greenhouse gas emissions, he said.

"All these things point towards a good, solid future for oil and gas," Hands said.