An advantage of observing statistics from this range is that it encapsulates both positive and negative performances of the economy helping to produce a much more accurate insight into the correlations between the variables.

Figure. A graph showing the UK net exports of oil (EIA, www.eia.gov)

A key point that is worth considering throughout this analysis is that the UK has historically been a net exporter of oil. As previously mentioned, that changed in 2005 when it was calculated that the UK's consumption of crude, exceeded production so that since that year the UK has been a net importer of oil.As demonstrated by graph Fig.3.1.3B, from the US Energy Information Administration. Theoretically this means that an increase in the price of oil will impact detrimentally on the economic performance of the UK.