According to the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero press release on April 24, 2023, this consultation proposes and seeks views on plans for secondary legislation to extend offshore oil and gas pipeline construction and use consenting responsibility of the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) to also apply to hydrogen pipelines.
It also proposes to extend certain environmental and decommissioning regulations to apply to relevant hydrogen activities, and grants the NSTA powers to issue hydrogen storage licenses.
As a consequence of these proposals, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) would be responsible for relevant offshore environmental impact assessments and habitats assessments prior to the NSTA granting relevant approval(s).
We regard this as an initial approach to regulatory design, which is subject to further evolution.
The consultation is open to all to respond, but will be of specific interest to hydrogen economy stakeholders, including:
- hydrogen producers
- hydrogen consumers
- gas transporters
- storage operators
- investors
- consumer champions
- trade associations
- academics
