OGA Launch the Energy Integration Project Report

The OGA Energy Integration Project report, published today (Thursday 6 August), emphasises the importance of industry working together to develop clean energy systems to deliver its net zero goals.

Colette Cohen OBE, CEO of the Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) said “This report reinforces the importance of an integrated energy future to unlock the full potential of the North Sea and accelerate the UK to a net zero future. The OGTC has been working closely with industry and cross sector to develop scenarios for an integrated energy North Sea and I am encouraged to see the positive impact of this collaborative approach. The OGA’s commitment to support deployment of technologies and pioneering projects to enable this transition is very welcome. We look forward to working with the regulator, industry and cross sector to deliver technologies to drive the transition to net zero future.”

And Sir Ian Wood, Chairman of Opportunity North East (ONE), welcomed the Oil & Gas Authority’s Energy Integration Project report “We warmly congratulate OGA for its great work in the past two years in looking at energy integration opportunities. It highlights the huge potential in offshore wind and where blue and green hydrogen will fit in. Perhaps the most encouraging featuring is that the UKCS activities could achieve 60% of the UK’s decarbonisation requirements. That emphasises the importance of oil and gas, both operators and supply chain, allocating more resources to energy transition activities.

The findings are aligned with our ambition to create a world-leading Energy Transition Zone in the North East of Scotland, which will build on our decades of offshore expertise to maximise new opportunities, such as the ScotWind leasing round.

The expansion of offshore wind, growth of hydrogen as alternative fuel and development of carbon capture usage and storage infrastructure offer opportunities to diversify and expand our supply chain and create new jobs, new export opportunities and make a major contribution to Scottish and UK net zero targets.

The OGA’s report outlines the steps and actions now required to move energy integration plans forward with pace and an oil and gas sector deal will be important in achieving our collective ambitions for green recovery. This is a pivotal moment and the North East of Scotland has crucial role to play, as a global integrated energy hub, and a leader in energy transition.”

The OGA report highlights that the integration of offshore energy systems, including oil and gas, renewables, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage, could contribute to deliver approximately 30% of the UK’s total carbon reduction requirements needed to meet the 2050 net zero target, clearly outlining future actions to move integration plans in the oil and gas sector forward.