The UK has taken another step towards becoming a carbon capture powerhouse, as the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) today opened nominations for new carbon storage sites.
The move comes hot on the heels of recent carbon storage permits issued to Eni for Liverpool Bay CCS, the system serving the HyNet industrial cluster – and to the Northern Endurance Partnership.
It marks the next phase in unlocking the UK’s vast offshore carbon storage potential as part of its net zero strategy.
Backed by a £21.7 billion government funding pledge over 25 years, the carbon capture and storage (CCS) sector is expected to support around 50,000 skilled jobs in the long term.
With the Climate Change Committee insisting there’s “no credible path to net zero” without CCS, the pressure is on to scale the industry quickly.
The nomination process now open is designed to fast-track high-quality bids. Companies must submit spatial data and outline their early-stage project concepts.
This should incentivise bids from developers who’ve already done their technical homework, reducing lead times and improving project delivery.
The NSTA will work closely with Crown Estate Scotland and The Crown Estate to assess spatial overlap with other sectors – such as offshore wind and tidal power – to avoid clashes and maximise seabed coordination.
The UK Continental Shelf could store up to 78 gigatonnes of CO₂ in depleted oil and gas fields and saline aquifers. With 21 licences already awarded in last year’s historic CCS licensing round, industry interest remains high.
Once the nomination window closes on 31 July, the proposals will be evaluated, with an eye on launching another licensing round.
