General – CO2 Storage
In a move strongly endorsed by Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), the North Sea Transition Authority has today (September 15) awarded licences to companies to permanently store millions of tonnes of CO2 under the UK seabed through a technology known as ‘carbon capture and storage’ (CCS).
In total, 21 licences have been awarded to 14 companies to store carbon from industry emissions in depleted oil and gas fields in the North Sea, covering around 12,000sq km (equivalent to the size of Yorkshire).
The sites could store up to 30 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030, approximately 10% of UK annual emissions in 2021.
Shell, Perenco and ENI have all been awarded licences off the coast of Norfolk in sites which could form part of the Bacton Energy Hub – a carbon storage, hydrogen and offshore wind project, which could provide low-carbon energy for London and the South East for decades to come and help in the drive to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Other companies have been awarded licences to store carbon off the coasts of Aberdeen, Teesside, and Liverpool.
The announcement marks a significant step towards reducing the nation’s carbon footprint, while providing growth opportunities for energy workers and businesses. OEUK previously reported the CCS opportunity could be worth £100bn to local manufacturing employers by 2050.
