The United Kingdom on Friday announced 21 licenses in the first licensing round for carbon storage, a largely experimental technology that the Government hopes will help achieve net zero emissions.
According to the North Sea Transition Authority, a total of 14 companies were awarded 21 licenses to exploit depleted oil and gas reservoirs and brine aquifers (around 12,000 km2).
The North Sea Transition Authority regulates and influences the oil, gas and carbon storage industry.
It represents around 10% of the UK’s annual emissions of 341.5 million tons in 2021. Shell PLC, Perenco and Eni Spa have been granted licenses offshore Norfolk in eastern England. Other potential fields include offshore Aberdeen in Scotland and offshore Liverpool in north-west England.
Stuart Payne, CEO of the NSTA, said: ‘Carbon storage will play a key role in the energy transition by storing carbon dioxide deep below the seabed and playing an important role in hydrogen production and energy hubs.
But many experts and environmental groups question how far the Government plans to rely on this large-scale, largely unproven and costly technology.
Erik Dalhuisen, co-founder and director of Aberdeen Climate Action CIC, told AFP: “CCS /carbon capture and storage/ is expensive. It’s much, much, much, much cheaper not to emit in the first place,” he told AFP: “I have no idea if this technology will work”.