In order to ensure energy sources while still striving for net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the UK government said Monday that it will award “hundreds” of additional oil and gas licenses in the North Sea.
The office of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak released a statement that read, “Investment in the North Sea will continue to unlock new projects, protect jobs, reduce emissions and boost UK energy independence.”
The statement said that “a more flexible application process” would be used for license requests, however a “climate compatability” test for carbon reduction objectives would still be implemented.
It stated: “The administration is taking action to stem the sharp drop in domestic oil and gas output, which will guarantee our domestic energy supplies and lessen dependency on adversarial nations.
In response to Moscow’s continuous invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, Western countries slapped sanctions on Moscow, focusing in particular on its significant oil and gas exports.
Sunak, alluding to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said in the statement, “We have all seen how Putin has manipulated and weaponized energy, disrupting supply and stalling growth in countries around the world.”
More than ever, it’s crucial that we increase our energy security and take advantage of our independence to provide more accessible, cheap, and clean energy.
The carbon footprint of domestic UK gas production, according to a report published on Monday by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), is one-fourth that of imported liquified natural gas.
Along with the two now under construction, it also reaffirmed intentions to develop two further carbon-capture plants along the North Sea coast at Acorn in northeast Scotland and Viking near Humber, England.
By 2030, the four clusters, according to the report, may sustain 50,000 employment.
In order to “highlight the central role the region will play in strengthening the UK’s energy independence and meet the next generation of skilled apprentices key to driving this work forward,” Sunak is scheduled to visit an energy infrastructure site in Aberdeenshire later on Monday.