Oil & Gas UK (OGUK), the UK’s offshore oil and gas industry association, has released its Roadmap to 2035 report on the industry’s contribution to emissions targets.
The report, published under the full title ‘Roadmap to 2035: a blueprint for net zero’, details key themes and sectors in which the government, industry and regulatory authorities can take action to reduce emissions ahead of the government’s net zero target. Offshore production of gas and oil are currently responsible for around 3% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
OGUK Chief Executive Deirdre Michie said: “Roadmap 2035 shows an industry in action with a credible plan for the future. While we don’t have all the answers to the big challenges we face, we have started work on what we know can be done….The facts outlined in our report [indicate] evidence that our industry remains a vital economic asset and is uniquely positioned to help the UK meet its net zero ambitions and energy needs in the years to come. We now need a comprehensive UK energy strategy which recognises the continued role of oil and gas in a diverse energy mix and positions us to support net zero. Our Economic Report 2019 shows we are already playing an active role in the transition to a more diverse energy mix, with many of our members investing in renewables, developing new technologies and bringing new solutions to market.”
With UK demand for oil still expected to hit around 65 million tonnes by 2050 in spite of the ongoing transition to alternative fuel options, the Roadmap to 2035 report highlights the need for emissions reduction techniques for traditional fuels; such as carbon capture and storage.
Ms Michie added: “Roadmap 2035 offers a blueprint for how we can continue to meet much of the UK’s oil and gas needs from domestic resources, progressively reduce associated production emissions and develop economy-wide decarbonisation technologies. With 40,000 new people needed in our industry, a quarter of whom will be in roles which don’t currently exist, it is an industry with an exciting future. It’s why we must continue to focus on improving the sustainability of the basin. This sector has seen a remarkable turnaround from one of the harshest declines in memory, however significant parts of the supply chain remains in a fragile condition. Our Economic Report 2019 shows a greater proportion of UK demand being met from domestic production, exploration and drilling activity on the increase and a continued pipeline of new projects emerging. We need to build on this investment to encourage new fields to be developed to replace those coming to the end of their life. This will ensure as much as possible of UK demand is met from our own resources.”
