The news emerged as Scottish secretary Jim Murphy toured the 30-year-old Beatrice Alpha platform, owned by Talisman Energy but now operated by Ithaca, which is just 12 miles off the coast in the Moray Firth.

Standing on the platform, structurally sound but encrusted with salty corrosion,

Murphy was able to see the proximity of the UK’s traditional oil and gas industry and the emerging offshore wind business and how the two energy industries are working hand in glove for the UK’s future power needs.

Murphy met many offshore oil veterans before seeing up close the UK’s largest offshore wind turbines, massive structures stretching 98 metres out of the North Sea. On his trip, he recalled how his father, Jim, worked offshore in the 1970s, and paid tribute to the current generation of oil workers.

“These guys are working-class professionals. They have the kind of pride in their work that was commonplace a generation ago: a pride at making things work and then changing things,” said Murphy.

“Seeing two industries living alongside each other – the maturing world of the oil industry alongside Scotland’s future, renewables – is deeply heartening. The North Sea has given Scotland and the UK decades of prosperity, but with fossil fuels running out one day and renewables the future, it’s important that we use the knowledge of one industry to help the other.”

John Woods, business development director of Ithaca Energy, who has worked in the North Sea since 1988, starting with Britoil and Amerada Hess, said a small player such as Ithaca can now make headway in prolonging the life of the UK’s remaining oil and gas assets.

Ithaca made a strategic move into the North Sea two years ago when it acquired the Beatrice field from Talisman for £10 million.

Since then the company has successfully drilled the Jacky field, which is less than three miles away from the Beatrice Alpha platform. After restarting the Beatrice oil field in April, the Calgary-based company has now shifted all of its major operation to Aberdeen. Since then Ithaca has been involved in drilling Carna, a southern gas field, appraising the Stella oil field and now opening up the Athena, close to the Claymore. “Athena was ready to go last year but was a victim of the credit crunch. But we’re in the process of re-starting this project,” said Woods.

“In 2008 Ithaca owned 70% of Athena and the banks were lined up to fund it but we went to the main provider and their banks weren’t comfortable with the production numbers, so the plan was mothballed. But now we’ve a deal with Dyas UK, who now have 22.5% of Athena. Money has come back into North Sea projects in the last six to eight weeks. Last year there was only one bank, now there are five and they are being much more imaginative about contracts and conditions, including the depreciation of vessels.”

Woods said Ithaca was debt free with strong cash flow following the success of Jacky, which is delivering 14,000 of barrels of oil a day gross – 6000 bopd net when the water is extracted. It was only predicted to produce 2000 bopd. Ithaca now owns the licence for the Beatrice field blocks.

The new-generation oil company, being supported by Wood Group offshore services, has been very successful in pumping water at ultra-high pressure down into the oil reservoir and this then pushes up the residual oil reserves. This technique is now being used to prolong the life of many former oil fields which are being abandoned by the majors.

The Beatrice Alpha platform overlooks the massive two wind turbines operated by SeaEnergy, formerly Ramco Energy, which is the only listed offshore wind energy company in the UK. It has a 25% stake in a £45m joint venture bid with Airtricity, part of Scottish & Southern Energy, and npower (RWE) to build and operate a 1800MW offshore wind cluster, alongside the Beatrice field.

Wind technology is still improving and the installation of larger six or seven MW turbines would mean 160 turbines, across 120 square kilometres, visible from the Moray Firth coastline.

Allan MacAskill, business development director of SeaEnergy, was able to show the Scottish secretary the vast scale of the two existing five MW wind turbines, which are the biggest in the UK, operating at almost 90% efficiency. MacAskill said: “Offshore wind is more continuous wind, rather than the gusting you get onshore. This allows turbines to operate at higher wind speeds, producing more energy.”