Editing Economy of the United Kingdom (section)

====Mining, quarrying and hydrocarbons====
{{Main|Mining in the United Kingdom|North Sea oil}}
The Blue Book 2013 reports that this sector added gross value of £31.4&nbsp;billion to the UK economy in 2011.<ref name="ons.gov.uk"/> In 2007, the UK had a total energy output of 9.5 quadrillion [[British thermal unit|Btus]] (10 exajoules), of which the composition was oil (38%), natural gas (36%), coal (13%), nuclear (11%) and other renewables (2%).<ref name=eiaoverview>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/Profile.html |title=United Kingdom – Quick Facts Energy Overview |publisher=US Energy Information Administration |access-date=4 November 2010 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918035823/http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/Profile.html |archive-date=18 September 2010 }}</ref> In 2009, the UK produced 1.5&nbsp;million barrels per day (bbl/d) of oil and consumed 1.7&nbsp;million bbl/d.<ref name=eiaoil>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/Oil.html |title=United Kingdom – Oil |publisher=US Energy Information Administration |access-date=4 November 2010 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918000348/http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/Oil.html |archive-date=18 September 2010 }}</ref> Production is now in decline and the UK has been a net importer of oil since 2005.<ref name=eiaoil/> As of 2010 the UK has around 3.1&nbsp;billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves, the largest of any EU member state.<ref name=eiaoil/>

In 2009, the UK was the 13th largest producer of natural gas in the world and the largest producer in the EU.<ref name=eiagas>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/NaturalGas.html |title=United Kingdom – Natural Gas |publisher=US Energy Information Administration |access-date=4 November 2010 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918011149/http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/NaturalGas.html |archive-date=18 September 2010 }}</ref> Production is now in decline and the UK has been a net importer of natural gas since 2004.<ref name=eiagas/> In 2009 the UK produced 19.7&nbsp;million tons of coal and consumed 60.2&nbsp;million tons.<ref name=eiaoverview/> In 2005 it had proven recoverable coal reserves of 171&nbsp;million tons.<ref name=eiaoverview/> It has been estimated that identified onshore areas have the potential to produce between 7&nbsp;billion tonnes and 16&nbsp;billion tonnes of coal through [[Underground coal gasification|underground coal gasification (UCG)]].<ref name="Coal 2">{{cite web|title=Coal Reserves in the United Kingdom |author=The Coal Authority |url=http://www.coal.gov.uk/media//860AD/Response%20to%20Energy%20Review%20-%20Appendix%202.pdf |access-date=23 September 2008 |publisher=The Coal Authority |year=2007 |work=Response to Energy Review |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910154814/http://www.coal.gov.uk/media//860AD/Response%20to%20Energy%20Review%20-%20Appendix%202.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2008 }}</ref> Based on current UK coal consumption, these volumes represent reserves that could last the UK between 200 and 400 years.<ref name="Coal 3">{{cite news|title=England Expert predicts 'coal revolution'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7046981.stm|access-date=23 September 2008|work=BBC News|date=16 October 2007}}</ref>

The UK is home to a number of large energy companies, including two of the six oil and gas "[[supermajor]]s" – [[BP]] and [[Shell plc]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/6424030/Let-the-battle-begin-over-black-gold.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/6424030/Let-the-battle-begin-over-black-gold.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Let the battle begin over black gold|access-date=26 November 2010|work=The Daily Telegraph| date=24 October 2009|location=London|first=Rowena|last=Mason}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-25/rba-s-stevens-says-inflation-unlikely-to-fall-much-further.html|title=RBA Says Currency Containing Prices, Rate Level 'Appropriate' in Near Term|access-date=26 November 2010|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.| date=26 November 2010|first=Michael|last=Heath}}</ref> The UK is also rich in a number of natural resources, including coal, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead and silica.