Updated environmental guidance for offshore oil and gas projects
will provide greater certainty and stability for the industry in
response to a Supreme Court ruling. It sets out the elements that
must be considered by operators when assessing emissions from
burning of the oil and gas they produce.
The ruling in the Finch case on 20 June has required operators to
consider the impact of burning oil and gas in Environmental
Impact Assessments for oil and gas extraction projects.
The government has acted quickly and will now consult with stakeholders
including the offshore industry on draft guidance, so it can
be implemented from Spring.
Separately, the government will consult before the end of the
year on the implementation of its commitment not to issue new oil
and gas licences to explore new fields, as part of its plan to
ensure a fair and prosperous transition in the North Sea.
Energy Minister said:
We have already started plans to speed up the North Sea's clean
energy transition to protect jobs and investment, from pushing
ahead with new industries such as carbon capture, to launching
Great British Energy – headquartered in Aberdeen.
Now we are acting quickly to provide greater stability for our
offshore industries, by consulting on new environmental guidance
that complies with our legal obligations. We will continue to
work closely with industry to ensure a prosperous future for the
North Sea and our offshore workers.
It follows action to accelerate the transition to the North Sea's
clean energy future to boost Britain's energy security and ensure
good, long-term jobs. This includes launching Great British
Energy, headquartered in Aberdeen, and signing a new agreement
with the Scottish Government to support investment in clean
energy supply chains and infrastructure.
Alongside this the government is speeding up a new skills
passport to help oil and gas workers move into roles in offshore
wind. The government has also announced the biggest ever
investment in offshore wind and is moving ahead with new North
Sea industries like carbon capture and storage and hydrogen.
