In a day and age when fund groups are keen to promote their “green” credentials, it is rare to hear professional investors speaking up for oil and gas companies.

Paul Jourdan, who runs the £1bn Amati UK Smaller Companies fund alongside four other co-managers, is one such advocate. He believes there is value to be found in the sector and is keen to explain why selling fossil fuel firms at this point is a flawed view intellectually.

The past two years have been a vintage period for Britain’s smaller companies, despite the economic upheaval. The Numis Smaller Companies index, a basket of smaller stocks, has gained 30pc since Dec 2019. The FTSE All-Share, by contrast, has risen by just 8.9pc.

Mr Jourdan’s fund has taken part in this revival, cementing a period of strong returns for his investors – whose savings have doubled in five years, against an 83pc return from the average rival.

The manager tells Telegraph Money why efforts to cut off oil and gas supply could spark an economic meltdown, while the prospect of higher interest rates is creating a “shifting landscape” for Britain’s smaller companies.

Who is the fund for?

Investors who really want to own the smallest 10pc of the British stock market. We own a range of steady and profitable companies with a mix of mature businesses and new, exciting names coming to the market with big plans. These have high growth potential but also higher risk.

How do you pick stocks?

We look for companies that have the ability to grow and reinvest their profits. To do this they need to have strong barriers to entry in their market and the managers must have expertise in their industries. We also look for well-financed companies, so our stocks have lower levels of debt than the market average.