Offshore Energies UK, the offshore energy industry’s most important trade group, began its next phase on February 14, 2022. It will now be called Offshore Energies UK, and it will help its members in hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, and offshore wind.
In December 2021, Offshore Energies UK changed its name to Offshore Energies UK after a year-long strategic review was approved by its members.
People who belong to Offshore Energies UK will keep making the oil and gas that the UK will need to keep its energy security and jobs and the economy going. Some of the most cutting-edge low-carbon projects in the country are already being worked on by these companies. These projects include the HyNet North West, Acorn Hydrogen & CCS, Equinor’s Dogger Bank wind farm, the West Anglesey Tidal Energy Project and the Hywind Scotland project.
In the UK, there are five projects called “clusters” that will make, transport, and store low carbon hydrogen and capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industries that are hard to get rid of. HyNet North West is one of these projects. Offshore Energies UK member Eni UK, which is part of the HyNet consortium, will safely transport and store CO2 emissions deep beneath the seabed in Eni UK’s depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs. This will keep CO2 from causing climate change, which is bad. Last Wednesday, the public consultation for the CO2 pipeline began. This is the latest sign that the offshore industry is changing and the energy transition is taking place. All of these cluster projects are very important, and the UK will need even more if it wants to meet its goal of going net zero.
Deirdre Michie OBE, Chief Executive of Offshore Energies UK, reflected: “Today marks an important day in our evolution as we seek to deliver a managed transition that supports the security of energy supply for the UK while helping to underpin and the country’s energy transition and climate goals.
“Our diverse membership is already actively investing in cutting edge, greener and cleaner technologies which add value to the whole UK economy. Over the last 50 years, the offshore oil and gas sector has contributed over £375 billion to the Exchequer and supported hundreds of thousands of jobs. Our members are now building on their oil and gas heritage to make the UK a global centre of green energy excellence that will help achieve net zero, while powering homes and industries.
“While our members are accelerating these newer energies, they will also dramatically reduce the emissions associated with producing the oil and gas that will continue to be an essential part of the UK’s increasingly diverse energy mix. We welcome the support we’ve received from members, industry and both governments since our initial announcement and look forward to working with them to engage, inform and proudly champion this sector which is at the heart of the energy transition.”
