The UK Government has introduced a Bill to make provision about the regulation of the energy sector; about the North Sea Transition Authority and activities relating to petroleum; about employment rights for offshore workers; about various other energy usage matters; and for connected purposes.
The Bill updates and strengthens the NSTA’s regulatory powers to reflect changes in the North Sea oil and gas industry, ensuring effective regulation, accountability and long-term investment. It removes the NSTA’s ability to issue new oil and gas exploration and production licences, recognising the maturity and decline of the basin and the Government’s shift away from new exploration. However, it allows limited continued production through transitional energy certificates, where activities are linked to existing fields or arise as a by-product of other energy projects, such as carbon capture, hydrogen storage and geothermal energy.
Clause 171 extends employment law protections to offshore workers involved in renewable and low-carbon energy activities, including carbon capture and storage and low-carbon hydrogen. It also gives the Secretary of State powers to extend and adapt the Working Time Regulations 1998 to cover workers in offshore oil and gas, renewable and low-carbon energy industries. These changes will ensure wider employment and working time protections.
This bill is currently still in Passage in the UK Parliament.
Source: HMSO.