UK commits to future North Sea licences
UK announces new support for two CCS clusters
LONDON, July 31 Reuters Britain on Monday committed to granting future licences for North Sea oil and gas extraction as part of efforts to become more energy independent, in plans that have drawn criticism from environmental campaigners.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed plans for more than 100 such licences which attracted bids earlier this year and fresh support for two carbon capture and storage CCS clusters in Scotland and northern England.
He also said the government and the oil and gas regulator had committed to undertaking future licensing rounds, seeking to stem the decline of domestic production in the North Sea and reduce reliance on states such as Russia.
We don39;t want to be in hock to dictators like that when it comes to our energy, Sunak told BBC Radio. An important part of guarding against that is investing in our North Sea.
British efforts to hit net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 have become a sharp dividing line between the governing Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party ahead of an election expected next year, with Sunak saying it should be met in a pragmatic way that does not add to household bills.
The government argues that stemming the decline in domestic supply would reduce the carbon footprint when compared with an alternative option of importing liquefied natural gas, however it is facing legal challenges from climate activists….