UK gas industry on brink of winter crisis

Britain’s gas industry is on a knife edge this winter and could tip into crisis if there is a major breakdown in its aging North Sea fields and pipelines, analysts said.

Europe’s biggest consumer is fast running out of gas from the fields that once made it self sufficient and kept UK prices among the lowest in Europe. Today, UK gas is the world’s costliest fuel and winter supply will be the tightest in memory.