DID you spot the false news in the press just before the New Year? The headline proclaimed “Scotland’s oil boom can last another 30 years”, and of course this is based solely on the Scottish North Sea. Not a squeak about the Scottish Atlantic Margin (SAM) oil and gas sector, which eclipses the Scottish North Sea many, many times over.

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The headline should have proclaimed: “Scottish oil boom can last at least another 100 years or more”. The SAM fields west of Shetland could last 70 or 80 years or more, and the entire SAM oil/gas sector could last 200 years or more. We are talking about oil fields in Scottish waters being the largest in north-west Europe, and the largest in the world. It is so convenient to use only the Scottish North Sea and a short time limit of only 30 years, so people will ask “why should I vote for indy when there is only 30 years of Scottish oil left?”

When we get to the end of that 30 years, there will be another 30 years, then another 30, and another, and so on. Fake news is a wonderful thing if you’re daft enough to believe it!

William C McLaughlin
Thankerton, Biggar