New Centre Aims to Cut North Sea Emissions

The UK’s Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) has announced plans to open a new centre in Aberdeen to develop and deploy technologies to decarbonise offshore operations on the UK shelf.

The project has the ambitious aim of establishing the UK offshore as the first net-zero carbon oil and gas basin, OGTC said in a September 3 statement. It has support from major oil and gas companies such as BP, Shell, Wood, Chrysaor, Aker Solutions, Ineos, Cnooc International, Total, Siemens and Equinor, the organisation said.

The new centre will work with government and industry to address the emissions from offshore platforms, in line with the UK’s pledge to reduce its carbon footprint to zero by 2050. It will also develop technologies that will help meet growing demand for hydrogen production and carbon sequestration.

As the industry evolves, OGTC envisages the repurposing of offshore facilities and partnerships between operators and companion industries such as renewables.

In order to realise the net-zero carbon plan, the new centre will support the creation of an integrated offshore energy system, partnering with companies to fast-track the development of carbon capture, utilisation and storage, hydrogen capability and other net zero technologies. It has put together a roadmap and intends to work with academic institutions and industry sectors to identify solutions.

OGTC was provided with financial support by former UK prime minister David Cameron in early 2016. The government agreed to supply £180mn ($215mn) to the sector over a decade, with industry, universities and other research institutions set to match funding.