Shetland Islands: Independence From Britain Is A Fight Over Scotland’s Oil

The Shetland islands only has a population of 23,000 people, but they will play a large role in Scotland voting on independence from Great Britain because of the Shetland islands’ oil contained within its boundaries.

In a related report by The Inquisitr, Sean Connery is very supportive of Scotland seeking independence from the UK and various Hollywood stars have been backing his message.

The September 18 vote for independence is already being cast in terms of finances and debt. Britain as a whole has a trillion pound national debt, which is roughly the equivalent of $1.65 trillion US dollars. So part of the problem would be how to fairly divvy up the rights to offshore oil and gas locked in the waters of the Shetland islands. Everyone acknowledges that without this oil Scotland “doesn’t have an economy” so this fact gives Shetlanders quite a large bargaining chip.

The Shetland islands’ oil industry first began in 1970’s but has already said to have peaked out. The official website for the Shetlands islands even admits: “although oil production has passed its peak, the decline is gradual.” They also downplay the role of the oil industry, claiming its “very limited” and instead point to the “enviable environmental record” that may concern anyone wanting to move there.

Scottish government minister Fergus Ewing says the perception that the Shetlands Islands is running out of oil soon is false:

“It’s contrary to what our friends in London have been telling us for decades. It’s not running out, and Shetland is – in many ways – at the epicentre of the opportunities west of Shetland and in the North Sea…. I think a generation of young people have been deterred from going into the industry because of false propaganda from some of the Westminster parties that the industry was dead, or dying. Wrong. It is not dead or dying. It has another, possibly, half century.”

Ewing also says that Scottish independence is bigger than one party and that people should keep this in mind when they go to vote:

“My expectation is that new political allegiances will form – there could even be new parties. The point is that independence is much bigger than one party. Don’t cast your vote on whether you like Alex Salmond, or Alistair Darling for that matter. It’s about what’s important for Scotland over the long term.”

Still, Michael Fallon, the british minister of state for energy, claims the Shetland Islands and Scotland won’t be able to tackle the oil fields classified as ultra high pressure high temperature (HPHT) without help:

“It’s vital for the UK that we have exactly the right tax regime that supports the North Sea. This isn’t something that can be funded alone by an independent Scotland.”

Do you think the Shetland islands will provide the economic security necessary for Scotland’s independence from Britain?