Preston businessman heads new trade body formed to help shale gas SMEs

A newly formed trade body headed up by a Preston businessman is calling on the government to help ensure that smaller British firms don't miss out on the multi-billion pound shale gas supply chain to larger multinationals.

The group believes there are three key reasons why small companies need to play a big role if shale gas, and other forms of energy extraction, are to be a British success story:

Secondly, costs: For onshore oil and gas to be commercially viable, well costs need to be kept to a minimum. Existing supply chain SMEs offer all the right capabilities, but can deliver them more flexibly and at a lower cost.

But it is worried that, without coordinated action, there's a real risk that the supply chain will come to be dominated by large overseas companies that fly their people and equipment in, and their profits home with them.

"We want to see British supply chain SMEs, especially in the communities where shale gas extraction takes place, grow and flourish alongside the developing onshore oil and gas industry just like they have in the aerospace sector, where small British firms are responsible for over 55% of all civil aerospace sales in Europe.

In a policy paper produced to accompany the launch, the OESG highlights that 78% of Britons trust small businesses, and that their prevalence means that most people will know someone that either owns, runs or works in an SME - factors the OESG feels are vital to acquiring public acceptance.

Commenting on the launch, Matthew Hancock, the minister for business and energy, said: "Local communities and local businesses should benefit from the production of oil and gas in their area. We will work closely with this new trade association to ensure that all businesses in the supply chain can benefit from the huge opportunities that onshore production could bring in terms of more jobs and prosperity."

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Business for Britain, said: "Energy policy is a perfect example of where the EU can return powers back to member states, thereby allowing national governments to decide themselves how best to meet overall emission targets. "Poorly designed policy and unrealistic targets have conspired to help push up energy bills and put jobs at risk, but failed to open up the market to cross border trade. The spiralling cost of energy in the EU is harming our economy, hobbling industry yet failing to protect the climate as emissions are exported to nations with fewer environmental safeguards."