The United Kingdom's North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has awarded a total of 21 licences to 14 companies in depleted oil and gas reservoirs and saline aquifers which cover around 12,000 km2 following the UK’s first-ever carbon storage licensing round. The locations could store up to 30 MtCO2/year by 2030.
Winners includes Enquest (4 licences), Neptune Energy (3 licences), Shell (3 licences plus 2 as a partner), BP (1 licence plus two as partners) and Esso (4 as a partner). Shell, Perenco and ENI have been awarded licences off the coast of Norfolk in sites which could form part of the Bacton Energy Hub – a carbon storage, hydrogen and offshore wind project, which could provide low-carbon energy for London and the South East.
The NSTA will assess the response and the quality of opportunities in locations across the UK before deciding when to run a second round. Six licences have already been granted by the NSTA and the country recently unveiled £20bn (€23bn) funding for the progression of these existing projects. Two locations, Hynet and the East Coast Cluster, have been selected as Track 1, while Acorn and Viking CCS projects have been chosen as the Track 2 clusters.
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