Trade body, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) for the UK offshore energy industry highlighted that the UK oil and gas industry exceeded emission reduction targets “despite uncertain times for the sector.”
The not for profit membership organisation in its analysis said that the UK oil and gas industry has made important strides in reducing its carbon footprint, building upon an active and effective decarbonisation plan.
The sector is on track, OEUK said, to meet continuing emissions reduction targets, reflecting industry’s dedication to sustainable practices and environmental stewardship.
“Facing a challenging policy and taxation landscape, the UK oil and gas industry has still leapt ahead of its government-agreed emissions reduction targets and is on track to achieve 2030 milestones,” according to Offshore Energies UK’s (OEUK) emissions reduction report due for publication in September.
In its release, Offshore Energies (OEUK) chief executive officer, David Whitehouse, said that the UK oil and gas industry has successfully reduced upstream emissions by 28% and more than halved methane emissions since 2018.
This positions the UK to achieve the North Sea Transition Deal’s (NSTD) emissions reduction target of 25% by 2027, four years ahead of schedule, and the 50% methane reduction target by 2030, seven years early.
“All political parties recognise that the UK needs oil and gas for decades to come. So, we’re calling on them to prioritise our homegrown production over more carbon-intensive imports to support value in our economy and the highly skilled people and firms needed to build our clean energy future,” he added.
“The expertise of the UK industry’s people together with private sector investment and innovation are driving these emissions reductions. The government can choose to back UK firms to continue this work with policies that keep them here in the UK and unlock further investment.
“In the right investment conditions, UK industry can further accelerate the homegrown energy transition as it enables our access to secure supplies of homegrown energy,” he concluded.
