The UK Government minister in charge of overseeing the multibillion-pound North Sea oil and gas industry failed to mention it in his speech to the Conservative conference.
Matt Hancock used his address to Tory delegates in Birmingham to lambast Labour leader Ed Miliband for forgetting the deficit last week.
But the recently-appointed energy minister appeared to suffer a similar memory lapse when he took to the stage.
Mr Hancock became the 15th energy minister in 17 years in July, when his predecessor Michael Fallon was promoted to defence secretary in a Cabinet reshuffle.
He is also the fourth energy minister since the coalition government took power in 2010, despite Prime Minister David Cameron having pledged to deliver stability to the offshore sector before taking office.
A close ally of Chancellor George Osborne, Mr Hancock kept Mr Fallon’s dual role as business and energy minister.
His brief includes North Sea exploration, licensing, revenues and decommissioning, the coalition’s policies on the gas, coal, nuclear and renewables industries, developing carbon capture and storage technology, delivering economic deregulation and improving competitiveness, as well as overseeing the legacy from the London Olympics.
In the only section of his speech which discussed energy, Mr Hancock said: “Any vision for a better Britain requires a more secure supply of energy.
“In a dangerous and uncertain world we are acting to secure those supplies.
“We’ve seen record investment in energy in this parliament, but there’s more to do.
“We must unlock the shale wealth beneath our feet. We must invest in new nuclear.
“And we must ensure that the renewables we support are the best value for bill-payers and taxpayers alike.”