Page 6 - EurOil Week 32

EurOil COMMENTARY EurOil

UK offshore can achieve 60% of

necessary emissions cuts: OGA

The UK continental shelf has a “significant” role to play in the country

meeting its 2050 net-zero target, its upstream regulator has said.

UK THE UK offshore has a “significant role” to play quality and access.”
in helping the country deliver on its net-zero OGA CEO Andy Samuel said the report
WHAT: emissions target over the coming decades, a showed the UKCS was a “critical energy
The UK continental shelf new report by the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) resource.”
can be used to achieve states. “Integration has the potential to make a deep
60% of the emissions Integrating oil and gas production with and meaningful impact, with a possible 30% con-
cuts needed. renewable energy, carbon capture and storage tribution towards the country’s overall net zero
(CCS) and hydrogen could achieve 30% of the target, primarily through CCS and through CCS
WHY: emissions reductions required by 2050, the OGA plus hydrogen,” he said in a statement. “We’re
Oil and gas production said. The use of offshore wind, wave and tidal working with other regulators, governments and
can be integrated with projects could contribute a further 30%, it said. industry to ensure this potential is delivered at
clean energy, CCS and The UK government has set a binding target pace as part of the UK green industry.”
hydrogen, while offshore of making the UK economy net-zero by 2050. Deirdre Michie, CEO of Oil and Gas UK
wind, wave and tidal The Scottish government aims to achieve this as (OGUK), welcomed the report, saying it con-
projects can deliver early as 2045. firmed “the huge contribution of this industry
further reductions. In its report, produced in conjunction with to unlocking the UK’s low-carbon energy future
UK energy regulator Ofgem, the Crown Estate and what can be achieved through collective
WHAT NEXT: and the UK’s Department for Business Energy action.”
Greater regulatory and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the OGA set out a “With confirmed government, regulatory
coordination and support number of steps needed to support decarbonisa- and industry support, the essential building
is needed to realise these tion on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). These blocks are in place and the energy transition is
ambitions. ranged from fast-tracked progress on “pioneer- now no longer an ambition – but happening in
ing projects” to improving “data availability, real time,” she said.

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 32 12•August•2020