Insight
An emissions reality check for the UK North Sea
Report summary
The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has consulted industry on further reducing UK upstream emissions. Operators must reduce emissions 50% on 2018 levels by 2030. The NSTA believes this target will be missed unless more is done. Its key proposals are: • Full electrification of fields onstream after 1 January 2030 (host platforms must be electrified in the case of tie-backs) • Fields onstream before 2030 to be “electrification ready” • New developments shall have zero routine flaring and venting • Zero routine flaring and venting for all developments by 2030 • Declaration of cessation of production (COP) dates for fields with emissions intensity 50% above the basin average We consider the possible impact of the proposals and ask: in a mature North Sea with many fields nearing depletion, is offshore electrification really the most effective and efficient way to decarbonise?
Table of contents
- Executive summary
-
UK upstream electrification
- Power market constraints
- Upstream constraints
- Flaring and venting
- Emission-intensive assets
- Increasing reliance on imports
Tables and charts
This report includes 6 images and tables including:
- Flaring & venting intensities by North Sea producer* (2023)
- Forties field: societal costs by abatement level (0-60%), and impact of no further abatement (0%) on economic cut-off
- Assets with emissions intensity 50% above UKCS average (2023)
- Count of current COP estimates by year of assets with emissions intensity of 30 kgCO2e/boe or more
- UK refinery supply sources by emissions intensity (2022)
- Energy mix of the grid (2022) UK & Norway
What's included
This report contains:
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