A recently-discovered oil field in the North Sea could be the largest found in the area for 25 years.

Energy minister Brian Wilson gave enthusiastic backing to revised oil recovery forecasts for the Buzzard field, which suggests it contains more than one billion barrels of oil.

Following its successful appraisal scheme, operator EnCana is ready to move to development planning with support from the Department of Trade and Industry at the field, situated 75 miles north-east of Aberdeen.

Mr Wilson said: "The scale of this discovery sends out a powerful message to other independent, innovative firms about the remaining opportunities in the North Sea."

The minister made referred to the fallow field exercise, an effort to secure activity on unworked discoveries of North Sea oil.

He said: "Through initiatives such as the fallow field exercise, Government and industry are working together to ensure continued exploration and economic recovery of North Sea oil and gas.

"Buzzard will create large-scale job opportunities and I am confident the UK supply chain will be highly competitive in bidding for work on the project. The Buzzard discovery was made in an area previously believed to be of limited potential at a time when the UK continental shelf was considered to be mature.

"This is very good news for the future of the UK oil and gas industry."

EnCana's managing director Alan Booth said: "It's very significant because the North Sea industry has got into a mindset that all that's left are little fields.

"This shows there's actually more than we think left and let's not write it off too soon.

"What it boils down to is that you cannot stop exploring for oil."