Archive

1980 Jan 30 - 1983 Jun 23
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/1016
Energy (North Sea oil prices; heavy fuel oil prices; oil prices in the longer term) (Part 1)

Document type: File list item
Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2013 Aug 1
Classification: Confidential
Page count: 355
Any docs withheld?

PREM19/1016 - download whole file (PDF, 62.75 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 1 - 20 of 39

Per page:
Date Value Title
80 Jan 4 Fr Major Energy: Howell PS letter to No.10 (BNOC: oil prices proposal) ["2-tier price if all the African producers increase their prices"; MT requests further advice on arbitration] [declassified Aug 2013]
80 Jan 17 Th Major Energy: Chancellor of the Exchequer minute to MT ("UKCS crude oil prices") [MT goes against Howe advice to avoid risking arbitration & potential ensuing higher prices] [declassified Aug 2013]
80 Jan 21 Mo Major Energy: Chancellor of the Exchequer minute to MT ("North Sea oil output") ["case for slowing down the oil flow in... [coming] years to spread the benefits further into the future...More immediately, however, the lower production forecasts would have implications for the trade deficit and the tax flow from North Sea operations"] [declassified Aug 2013]
80 Feb 5 Tu Major Energy: Howell minute to MT ("Oil prices and import targets") [Iranian prices; UKCS prices; import targets] [declassified Aug 2013]
80 Feb 6 We Major Energy: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Howe, Howell, Carrington, Nott) ["Oil prices"] [declassified Aug 2013]
80 Apr 29 Tu Major Energy: Howell letter to Gilmour ("BNOC oil prices") ["we have to recognise that BNOC cannot withhold full market prices to their suppliers. Nor can we expect unreasonable delay in setting prices"] [declassified Aug 2013]
80 May 23 Fr Major Energy: Howell letter to Gilmour ("BNOC oil prices") [rising in line with other countries] [declassified Aug 2013]
80 Dec 23 Tu Major Energy: Howell PS letter to No.10 ("Heavy fuel oil prices") [speaking note as requested by MT following meeting with Howell] [declassified Aug 2013]
81 Feb 6 Fr Major Energy: Chancellor of the Exchequer minute to MT ("UK oil policy: refinery and disposal strategy") [call for interdepartmental review of North Sea pricing policy & opposition to creation of additonal reserve producition capacity: both concerns being in relation to PSBR] [declassified Aug 2013]
81 Jun 5 Fr Major Energy: No.10 minute to MT ("BNOC prices") [proposed reduction] [declassified Aug 2013]
81 Jun 10 We Major Energy: Howell letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer ("North Sea oil prices") [MT supports BNOC's proposed reduction in prices] [declassified Aug 2013]
81 Oct 6 Tu Major Energy: Lawson letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer ("North Sea oil pricing policy") [working group report] [declassified Aug 2013]
82 Mar 22 Mo Major Energy: MT letter to Gordon Wilson MP (world oil prices) ["[we] will all benefit from lower oil prices through the consequent reduction in inflation and increase in real income"] [declassified Aug 2013]
82 Dec 23 Th Major Energy: Chancellor of the Exchequer minute to MT ("Oil prices in the long term") ["I attach a study, written by an interdepartmental group of officials... I think this is a useful document"] [declassified Aug 2013]
83 Jan 28 Fr Major Energy: Lawson letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer ("BNOC oil prices") ["BNOC has to take a decision on its price for North Sea Oil... we are trying to... [follow] the market... not [lead] it... maintain oil sales... on a falling market ... avoid precipitating a downward price spiral"] [declassified Aug 2013]
83 Feb 23 We Major Energy: No.10 minute to MT ("Oil prices") ["Lawson is in little doubt that the [Kuwaiti] objective will be to put pressure on us with regard to North Sea oil prices"] [declassified Aug 2013]
83 Feb 24 Th Major Energy: Cabinet Office minute to No.10 (meetings between OPEC and non-OPEC producers) [MT: "No need. We do not want to form what would effectively be an enlarged OPEC. No need for any meeting"] [declassified Aug 2013]
83 Mar 3 Th Major Energy: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Lawson) ["Oil": OPEC/prices] [declassified Aug 2013]
83 Mar 8 Tu Major Energy: Parsons minute to Cole ("Oil") ["I am deeply suspicious of [consumer/producer] dialogues of the kind which the French seem to like. History shows that they are only attractive to the weaker side"] [declassified Aug 2013]
83 Mar 9 We Major Energy: UKE Jeddah telegram to FCO ("Oil prices") ["the King was most anxious to stress... that the break-up of OPEC would do damage to the whole world"] [declassified Aug 2013]