By Nicholas Earl
The North Sea Transition Authority is still waiting for the Government to define the environmental criteria for further oil and gas exploration, confirmed the watchdog’s chief executive Andy Samuel.
He told the Environmental Audit Committee that there had been a gap between this and last year’s round of licensing projects because it was “recognised that the Government wanted to put in place a climate compatibility checkpoint.”
Samuel said: “Everything we do is subject to that and we are waiting for the results of that.”
The regulator also noted that strategic environment assessments needed to be updated following net zero legislation.
When this comes through, the NSTA will confirm areas of interest for exploration, alongside guidance – including technical, financial and environmental concerns.
The licensing round is typically open for 100-120 days before the body assesses the applications.
Industry body Offshore Energies UK has called on the Government to clarify the climate criteria as soon as possible to ensure there could be further supplies extracted from the continental shelf.
NSTA also reiterated its terms for voluntary emissions cuts across the industry – pushing companies to cut emissions 50 per cent by the end of the decade.
The group will report next week on emissions in the North Sea, with Samuel revealing the industry has so far cut emissions 21.5 per cent since 2018.
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