Page 8 - Gi August 2020

industry & Government news

UK’S OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY VOWS

TO HALVE OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS BY 2030

DECOMMISSIONING OLDER PLATFORMS WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS

THE INDUSTRY BODY for offshore from gas to electricity for heating its members to reduce indirect emissions
oil and gas in the UK has published and powering offshore facilities; associated with the burning of fuels
plans for halving emissions from progressively reducing flaring and by end-user customers, as this source
production and exploration within a venting; improving energy efficiency accounts for the majority of the global oil
decade, but green groups say there for buildings and investing in efficient, and gas sector’s annual emissions.
must also be stronger accountability low carbon transport. The publication of the OGUK
for indirect emissions. The planned decommissioning of roadmap comes as senior civil servants
In a June report, Oil & Gas UK (OGUK) some older platforms, considered begin preliminary discussions with
states that its members with offshore among the most carbon-intense, will businesses to create a sector deal for
oil and gas operations in UK waters also contribute to emissions reductions. the UK’s oil and gas industry.
have jointly committed to the industry- Any surplus emissions will then be In light of the UK’s 2050 net zero
wide 2030 target and a shared roadmap offset, primarily through investment in target, enshrined in law last year,
to reach it. tree-planting initiatives. and given the fact that the oil and gas
The target covers emissions from However, plans to reduce fossil fuel sector is among the hardest-hit by the
production platforms, exploration, production and diversify portfolios Covid-19 fallout, the sector deal will
shipping, helicopter movements and in favour of renewable energy are contain measures to deliver a green
onshore terminals, and are set against a notably absent from the roadmap, recovery for both the sector and the
2018 baseline, reports edie. In 2018, these which has drawn criticism from green wider economy.
sources collectively emitted 18.3 million groups. Research from Carbon Tracker Experts are predicting that it will
tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent – concluded that oil and gas firms would contain measures around upskilling and
four per cent of national emissions. need to cut production by 35 per cent reskilling, repurposing infrastructure
Key measures to reduce emissions by 2040 if they are to align with net- and investing in emerging technologies
from these sources, according to zero by 2050. such as carbon capture, usage and
the roadmap, include switching Critics are also calling for OGUK and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen.

08

16/07/2020 15:41
News.indd 3 16/07/2020 15:41
News.indd 3