RSC chief executive meets Scotland's First Minister

Dr Richard Pike, chief executive of the RSC, had a 30-minute meeting with Alex Salmond, First Minister for Scotland, on Wednesday 19 November, to discuss energy and environmental matters.

The meeting, at the First Minister's official residence at Bute House, in Edinburgh, followed world-wide interest in Dr Pike's statistical analysis, published in Petroleum Review, showing that true global oil and gas proven reserves are much higher than publicly documented.

The implications are particularly relevant to Scotland, and the RSC and the Enterprise Energy and Tourism Directorate are to work collaboratively to promote local lectures and articles in the media. 

These will highlight the need for improved reporting of hydrocarbon resources, and the challenge that increased oil and gas availability in Scotland places on also achieving a low-carbon economy. The chemical sciences will play an important part in this.

Dr Pike has also been in correspondence with Prime Minister Gordon Brown over this important issue, which is relevant to the rest of the UK and the wider international community.