Independent Scotland faces long fight with UK over oil The DHI also published papers from energy economists warning an independent Scotland would face a far greater struggle to keep the lights on than if it remainder part of the UK. Prof Paterson said he agreed with the SNP that the "lion's share" of North Sea oil would be assigned to a separate Scotland but warned that the precise boundary would have a significant effect on its finances. Warning that rUK would seek the best deal possible, their report concluded: "Experience shows that such outcomes are not infrequently reached only after lengthy delays of several or even many years. The uncertainty that would exist in the area between the boundaries claimed by each state as a result of any such delay could have profound effects on investment. International law provides procedures for resolving the dispute rather than any clear answer, they said, warning that the scale of the industry's contribution to the Exchequer means the boundary would not be a "matter of indifference" to the UK Chancellor. A result regarded as equitable "may look very different depending upon which side of the border the matter was viewed from," said the academics, who are co-directors of the university's centre for energy law. To confuse matters further, legislation from 1987 and 2009 draws the boundary in two different places. If the two sides cannot reach agreement, the professors said the International Court of Justice could intervene but the outcome would be difficult to predict. It would be "hard to imagine" Westminster accepting a proportionate share of the multi-billion pound bill for decommissioning tax relief if a separate Scotland was claiming the vast majority of the remaining oil, they said. The DHI is holding a conference on a separate Scotland's energy issues on Monday. Alex Salmond has recently published estimates for North Sea oil revenue over the next five years that were up to £26 billion higher than official figures. A Scottish government spokesman said: "International law makes clear that fields generating about 90 per cent of the UK's North Sea revenues will be in Scottish waters."