UK oil and gas fields increase production for first time in 15 years

Statistics for first 10 months of 2015 show an 8.6% rise from a year earlier after new North Sea fields were opened

Britain's oil and gas fields have increased production for the first time in more than 15 years, figures show.

Government statistics for the first 10 months of 2015 show oil and gas produced on the UK continental shelf up 8.6% from a year earlier, the industry body Oil & Gas UK said. It added that, based on that number, it expected production for all of 2015 to be between 7% and 8% higher.