Trade Association Oil & Gas UK outlined the details of its response to UK and Scottish Government net zero commitments in a keynote speech delivered by OGUK Chief Executive Deirdre Michie OBE on 30 January.
Michie echoed the Scottish Government’s principles of supporting a sustainable, fair and inclusive energy transition. This means ensuring energy affordability, delivering opportunities for the people working in the industry today as it evolves in the coming decades, and delivering sustainable and enduring change.
Michie mentioned OGUK’s Roadmap 2035, published in May 2019, which offers a blueprint for net zero.
OGUK’s first net zero commitment is to “be a net zero oil and gas basin by 2050”. This means reducing emissions from 14mn tonnes to 0.5mn tonnes – in line with the Committee on Climate Change’s outlook.
Its second net zero commitment will see it support the development of carbon capture, utilisation and storage other low carbon technology at scale.
Michie also said on hydrogen that “more will have to be done to explore the full opportunity of this potentially disruptive player in the clean energy mix”.