據世界石油網5月12日報道，在由英國北海管理局(NSTA)組織的年度會議上，北海主要的能源運營商開會討論了未來的機遇，并就能源安全、減少排放以及加速過渡的重要性獲得了明確的信息。

自2022年初以來，NSTA已經批準了7個能夠生產近1億桶石油、需要約11億英鎊(12億美元)支出的項目。一旦生產開始，它們可以在過渡期間顯著提高英國的供應安全。此外，運營商計劃在未來幾年內推進22個項目，這些項目將通過嚴格的排放檢查，目標是15億桶。

這些數據突出了北海剩余潛力的規模，并在年度Tier Zero績效評估會議上提交給了北海22家最大運營商的負責人。NSTA使用領先的數據，包括來自UKCS管理調查的數據，以及基準分析，向運營商展示他們如何比較，以突出最佳實踐，并挑戰那些需要改進的地方。這種方法已被證明可以提高整個行業的標準。

在去年的Tier Zero中，NSTA向運營商提出了挑戰，要求他們將生產效率恢復到正軌，因為在2021年，由于大面積的維護停工，生產效率下降了7個百分點，降至73%。令人鼓舞的是，生產效率在2022年提高了78%，這表明企業如何利用其資產。NSTA將繼續與運營商合作，幫助他們恢復到80%的長期目標。

該行業因最近的減排而受到稱贊，其中包括自2018年以來減少了一半的燃燒排放。隨著公司提出數十項提高能源效率和減少燃除的計劃，預計這些削減將繼續下去。然而，如果運營商要達到NSTA在2030年之前消除常規燃除和排放的期望，他們必須做更多的工作。

運營商還必須投資使用清潔電力為其平臺供電，以達到并超過北海過渡協議的目標，即到2030年將總生產排放量降低50%，并保持其社會運營許可證。NSTA預計，今年將就至少兩個電氣化項目的優先開發方案做出決定。

此外，正在確定將石油和天然氣基礎設施重新用于包括氫和碳儲存在內的低碳項目的選擇，這是NSTA推動英國海上能源系統整合并加速向凈零過渡的另一個支柱。

英國北海管理局(NSTA)將很快宣布英國有史以來第一輪碳儲存許可招標的獲獎名單，為這一轉型提供更多動力。此次招標收到了來自19家公司的26份投標。為了滿足英國的存儲需求，還需要額外的許可輪次，NSTA正在與政府和其他監管機構合作，以確定未來活動的時間。

NSTA首席執行官Stuart Payne表示：“北海擁有豐富的石油和天然氣、風能和儲能資源，可以確保英國供應清潔生產的能源，迅速減少溫室氣體排放，并支持數十萬個技術工作崗位。NSTA將率先整合這些資源，優化其巨大潛力。”

壽琳玲 編譯自 世界石油

原文如下：

NSTA: 22 major energy security projects targeting 1.5 Bbbl in progress to accelerate energy transition

Major North Sea energy operators have met to discuss future opportunities and get clear messages on energy security, driving down emissions, and the importance of accelerating the transition at an annual meeting organized by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA).

Seven projects capable of producing almost 100 MMbbl and requiring about ￡1.1 billion ($1.2 billion) of expenditure have been approved by the NSTA since the start of 2022. They can significantly boost the UK’s security of supply during the transition once production starts up. In addition, operators plan to progress 22 projects in the coming years which, subject to robust emissions checks, would target 1.5 Bbbl.

The figures, which highlight the scale of remaining potential in the North Sea, were presented to managing directors of the 22 largest North Sea operators at the annual Tier Zero performance review meeting. The NSTA uses world-class data, including from the UKCS Stewardship Survey, and benchmarking insights to show operators how they compare to highlight best practice and challenge those who need to improve. This approach has been proven to raise standards across the industry.

At last year’s Tier Zero, the NSTA challenged operators to get their production efficiency back on track following a drop of seven percentage points to 73% in 2021 amid widespread maintenance shutdowns. Encouragingly, production efficiency, which indicates how well companies are using their assets, went up to 78% in 2022. The NSTA will continue working with operators to help them restore it to the longstanding target of 80%.

The industry was praised for recent emissions reductions, including from flaring, which has been halved since 2018. These reductions are expected to continue, with companies highlighting dozens of plans to improve energy efficiency and reduce flaring. However, operators must do more if they are to meet the NSTA’s expectation of eliminating routine flaring and venting by 2030.

Operators must also invest in powering their platforms with clean electricity to meet and surpass the North Sea Transition Deal target of lowering overall production emissions by 50% by 2030 and preserve their social license to operate. The NSTA expects decisions to be made this year on the preferred development options for at least two electrification projects.

In addition, options to repurpose and reuse oil and gas infrastructure for low-carbon projects including hydrogen and carbon storage are being identified, forming another pillar of the NSTA’s drive to integrate the UK’s offshore energy systems and accelerate the transition to net zero.

The NSTA will soon give more impetus to the transition by announcing the awards for the UK’s first ever carbon storage licensing round, which received 26 bids from 19 companies. Additional licensing rounds will be needed to meet the UK’s storage requirements and the NSTA is collaborating with government and other regulators to determine the timing of future activities.

Stuart Payne, NSTA Chief Executive, said, “The North Sea boasts a vast array of oil and gas, wind and storage resources which can secure the UK’s supply of cleanly-produced energy, rapidly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, and support hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs. The NSTA will lead the way on efforts to integrate these resources, optimizing their enormous potential.”