UKCS current carbon storage licences (ED50)

<ul><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>Carbon capture and storage (CCS) refers to a number of techniques and processes which capture carbon dioxide emissions, generally from industrial processes. The carbon dioxide (CO2) can then be transported, including via repurposed gas pipelines, and stored, for example in underground locations CO2 will typically be stored at depths greater than 800 metres, where it no longer behaves as a gas, but instead as a supercritical fluid. The same geological formations that are well understood in the UK from many decades of oil and gas production, such as the Triassic Bunter Formation and Tertiary Forties Sandstones, are also likely to be ideal for the storage of carbon dioxide.</span></span></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>CCS involves the capture of CO2 emissions from industrial processes, such as steel and cement production, the generation of hydrogen through steam reforming, or from the burning of biomass or fossil fuels in power generation. It may also be used in combination with emerging direct air capture technologies. This carbon dioxide is then transported from where it was produced, via ship or in a pipeline, and stored deep underground in geological formations.</span></span></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>The NSTA is the licensing authority for offshore CO2 storage in the UK, approving and issuing carbon dioxide storage and appraisal licences, storage permits, and maintaining the carbon storage public register.</span></span></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>Certain activities proposed under CS licences may also be subject to specific environmental assessment by BEIS (Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED)).</span></span></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>A licensee also requires a lease from the Crown Estate/Crown Estate Scotland (as applicable) before undertaking storage activities.</span></span></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>NSTA/TCE/CES </span></span><a style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; color:rgb(29, 112, 184); font-family:inherit; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;' target='_blank' href='https://www.nstauthority.co.uk/news-publications/news/2022/north-sea-transition-authority-the-crown-estate-and-crown-estate-scotland-announce-renewed-collaboration-to-unlock-the-potential-of-carbon-storage/' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>joint statement</span></span></a></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>NSTA/OFGEM </span></span><a style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; color:rgb(29, 112, 184); font-family:inherit; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;' target='_blank' href='https://www.nstauthority.co.uk/media/8125/ntsa-ofgem-mou-signed.pdf' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>Memorandum of Understanding</span></span></a></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>The list of carbon dioxide appraisal and storage projects licensed by the NSTA can be seen </span></span><a style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; color:rgb(29, 112, 184); font-family:inherit; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;' target='_blank' href='https://www.ogauthority.co.uk/the-move-to-net-zero/carbon-capture-and-storage/' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>here</span></span></a></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>The Ten Point Plan for a Green </span></span><a style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; color:rgb(29, 112, 184); font-family:inherit; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;' target='_blank' href='https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-ten-point-plan-for-a-green-industrial-revolution/title' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>Industrial Revolution</span></span></a></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</span></span><a style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; color:rgb(29, 112, 184); font-family:inherit; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;' target='_blank' href='https://report.ipcc.ch/ar6wg3/pdf/IPCC_AR6_WGIII_FinalDraft_FullReport.pdf' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'> report</span></span></a><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'> (Chapter 11, Executive Summary)</span></span></li><li><span style='font-family:inherit; font-size:large;'><span style='border-width:0px; box-sizing:border-box; font-stretch:inherit; font-style:inherit; font-variant:inherit; font-weight:inherit; margin:0px; padding:0px;'>BEIS leads government policy on CCS</span></span></li></ul>

Organization: North Sea Transition Authority