UK's oil and gas regulator tightens emission guidelines for North Sea producers
Charting the course for lower Scope 1,2 emissions with Offshore Electrification and Emissions Reduction Plans.
This morning, The UK’s oil and gas regulator published stricter guidelines for producers to decarbonise with electrification and the installation of low-carbon power on platforms. Operators in the UK Continental Shelf who choose not to electrify assets where the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) considers it reasonable to do so would have their approvals to develop new fields withheld.
Concise Overview:
Electrification Mandate: From 2030, new North Sea operations must adopt full electrification or comparable low-carbon power sources, with tie-backs only to electrified platforms.
Development Assessments: Proposals for field developments must undergo stringent technical and economic scrutiny to ensure lower emissions, influencing FDP and FDPA submissions.
Financial Commitment: Operators are required to judiciously invest in electrification, aligning expenditure with the expected value of reserve development and emissions impact.
Conditional Approvals: The NSTA reserves the right to deny development plans and further access to hydrocarbon resources if adequate electrification measures are not implemented.
Emissions Reduction Alternatives: Where electrification is not feasible, operators are to explore alternative power emissions reduction strategies.
Emissions Intensity Scrutiny: Assets with emissions intensity exceeding 50% of the UK offshore average may face accelerated CoP dates, promoting a shift to cleaner installations.
Flaring and Venting Strategy: A comprehensive plan targeting a substantial reduction in flaring and venting, especially methane, is mandatory by 2030 for all producers.
Detailed Read:
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