The vital role oil and gas will play in the Merseyside’s future

As an industry, sustainability is high on our agenda. We’re at a pivotal point of the journey towards cleaner, more affordable, home-grown energy, and there is already so much to be hopeful about.

With its strong industrial heritage, deep water port infrastructure and existing links to gas and offshore wind, the North West is a dominant player in the UK’s energy transition landscape. Once an industrial centre, the region is rebooting its economy by building the skills and expertise needed for a new era of energy.

As a result, it is set to benefit greatly from the recently agreed North Sea Transition Deal which will leverage oil and gas capabilities to progress new opportunities such as carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, offshore wind and decommissioning.

So many projects are already paving the road to success. The HyNet North West project, for instance, has created a model industrial cluster that has the potential to be mirrored elsewhere in the UK.

The Merseyside project has been developed in association with local industry partners such as chemicals leader Solvay and Essar Oil, with INEOS-owned INOVYN providing a place to store captured hydrogen in the UK’s first underground storage facility.

In addition, two other Merseyside projects have secured government funding to continue their pioneering work. This includes the UK’s first Low Carbon Hydrogen Plant at Essar’s Stanlow refinery and the use of hydrogen in the glass-making process in St Helen’s.

Both these projects, and the wider work of HyNet, show how the UK offshore oil and gas industry is directly supporting the creation of new jobs and positioning the nation as an leader in the energy transition. In fact, the HyNet project alone expects to deliver 33,000 jobs and over £4bn of investment over time.

Beyond carbon capture and hydrogen, the region is also fast establishing itself as the UK’s renewable energy coast. Liverpool’s strategic location has benefited through recent investment into cutting edge technology, including facilities to accommodate and service offshore wind turbines and develop the region’s renewable energy offering.

Our industry is changing for good...

What’s more, Lloyd’s Register recently launched a Maritime Decarbonisation Hub to enable the accelerated decarbonisation of maritime trade and, looking longer-term, the Mersey Tidal Commission is researching ways of harnessing the power of the River Mersey as a source of clean, renewable, predictable energy for generations to come.

The road to net zero is a long one, but we are committed to meeting this challenge and are already taking significant action. The goals can be met, and the oil and gas industry, with its pioneering legacy, engineering capability and skilled workforce, is part of the solution.

Interested in finding out more?

Visit the OGUK website, or find out more about the North Sea Transition Deal and the UK offshore oil and gas industry’s commitment to reducing emissions.