Arrr mateys, UK be makin' oil rigs walk the plank unless they convert to green energy, says the scallywags!
2024-03-28
Arrr! Ye scurvy dogs of the oil and gas rigs best be converting yer platforms to green electricity or risk walking the plank! The King's decree be clear - sail towards low-carbon energy or face the wrath of Davy Jones' locker! Aye, me hearties!
In the waters of the United Kingdom, oil and gas rigs in the North Sea are facing a new ultimatum - convert to green energy or low-carbon fuels, or risk closure and a ban on opening new platforms. The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has mandated this change in an effort to reduce emissions, as these rigs currently produce about 3% of the country's CO2 emissions. Despite this, they also provide nearly half of the UK's energy.Older platforms dating back to the 1970s and 1980s may face significant costs for electric conversion, potentially requiring connections to land power or the construction of wind farms nearby. The NSTA is also cracking down on flaring, a process that releases harmful methane and CO2 into the atmosphere. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is nearly 80 times more harmful than CO2.The agency aims to phase out flaring and venting by 2030, with a focus on electrification and low-carbon power to reduce emissions. While progress has been made, the NSTA is clear that more must be done to prevent wasteful flaring of gas and expects further reductions to continue.