Industry

One of the strongest components of the British economy is the energy sector. The United Kingdom is a net exporter of energy. In addition to oil, the kingdom has abundant reserves of natural gas, coal, and atomic power. There are more than 100 active oil and natural gas fields.  The main energy resource is oil. The king-dom's reserves of oil exceed 5 billion barrels. In 1999, oil production reached it highest level at an average of 2.95 million barrels per day at 15 major oil refineries. The mining of minerals has declined over the past thirty years as the stocks of various minerals have been depleted.The main minerals still being mined are lead and tin. There is also production of refined metals such as aluminum and steel. The United Kingdom has substantial production of minerals used for construction. These include clay, kaolin, and gypsum. Britain is a major cement producer.