Cutting edge technology from the United States that uses gas from an extinct volcano to extract more oil from mature fields is to be examined by UK Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks.

Mr Wicks will be visiting Denbury Resources Inc, an American oil and gas company, whose Enhanced Oil Recovery techniques could be used to obtain a further 17% of reserves from fields in the North Sea which are nearing the end of their life.

Carbon dioxide, which occurs naturally, is extracted from an extinct volcano deep underground near to Jackson city in Mississippi. It is then piped 60 miles to Brookhaven where it is pressurised and then used to force out oil.

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Mr Wicks said: "The North Sea's fossil fuels are very important to the UK energy mix and the issue of security of supply.

"There is still an estimated 25 billion barrels of oil equivalent left to exploit but full recovery is going to become increasingly challenging and will require some innovative technologies. It's important we fully consider techniques like the one being developed here in the US by Denbury.

"It's vital we recover what is left as sensitively as possible. This project uses pressurised carbon dioxide, which could also be captured from industrial plants, so it would mean a plus for the environment too."

(CD/NS)