NSTA responds to Uplift analysis: New oil and gas fields in North Sea “in keeping” with UK’s net-zero commitment

(WO) — The NSTA issued a response to analysis by campaign group Uplift of the potential impact of new North Sea oil and gas projects on emissions reduction targets.

An NSTA spokesperson said, “New oil and gas fields in the North Sea can absolutely be in keeping with the UK’s commitment to net zero. For example, the NSTA uses an ‘effective net zero test’ which looks at a range of factors including greenhouse gas emissions, lifetime production against UK future demand and production emissions impacts when assessing applications for a new field.

“We have full confidence in our data, which shows that the UK oil and gas industry is currently on track to meet interim emissions reduction targets agreed in the North Sea Transition Deal. Our 2022 Emissions Monitoring Report shows that achieving the 2030 goal of a 50% reduction in production emissions is the absolute minimum the NSTA expects from industry, which should aim to surpass it.”

The NSTA’s annual Emissions Monitoring Reports track industry’s efforts to achieve targets agreed in the North Sea Transition Deal to reduce emissions from production activities by 10% by 2025 and 25% by 2027 (the interim targets), and 50% by 2030, against a 2018 baseline.  

Industry is making encouraging progress, having cut emissions by 21.5% between 2018 and 2021, due in part to investments in more energy-efficient equipment and technologies which minimize flaring. These actions are backed by the NSTA’s robust regulation and management, which includes the use of monitoring, tracking, benchmarking and the publication of tougher guidance. 

Since February 2021, the NSTA has worked with industry on initiatives which have prevented the lifetime emission of 1.4 million tonnes of CO2e, equivalent to taking 580,000 cars off the road for a year. 

UK North Sea flaring was halved between 2018 and 2022. Last year’s reduction alone was equivalent to the gas demand of 80,000 UK homes, a boost for the UK’s energy security and net zero ambitions.

Electrification involves upgrading platforms to run on clean electricity, instead of gas or diesel. The NSTA is active in this area and are putting pressure on industry to deliver. The NSTA expects at least two electrification projects to be commissioned by end-2027.