Nicola Sturgeon’s economic case for independence has suffered another major blow after an expert analysis warned the cost to the public purse of decommissioning North Sea oil rigs is threatening to“wipe out” all future tax revenues.

Research group Wood Mackenzie warned taxpayers are facing a £24 billion bill for decommissioning oil and gas fields, 50 per cent higher than the official Treasury estimate of £16 billion.

Oil companies are forecast to spend £53 billion from this year winding down their North Sea operations and almost half that sum is expected to be recouped from the Treasury through tax relief.

The analysis predicted this burden will exceed the remaining net tax revenues, meaning the North Sea will become a net drain on the public purse, and warned of a “domino effect” as fields begin to shut.

Ms Sturgeon promised Scots a second oil boom if they voted for independence in 2014 but the price has since collapsed and Scotland’s geographical share of the revenues tumbled to only £60 million last year.

Without oil revenues, Scottish Government figures published last year gave Scotland a £15 billion public spending deficit, proportionately more than twice the size of the UK’s and higher even than Greece’s.