A new North Sea Future Board has been launched in Aberdeen to help drive a “fair, managed and prosperous transition” for the basin.
Chaired by UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks, the board brings together senior figures from across oil and gas, renewables, supply chains, trade unions and government. The government says it will support delivery of its North Sea Future Plan by boosting investment, unblocking barriers to delivery and supporting the region’s highly skilled workforce.
The board’s inaugural meeting today comes against a backdrop of mounting tension over the pace and direction of the UK’s energy transition. It follows a strongly worded intervention from the GMB union, which has warned that a “rushed and needless” rundown of North Sea oil and gas is having a devastating impact on Aberdeen, with significant job losses linked to the ban on new exploration and high levels of taxation.
However, earlier this week UK and EU agreed a landmark clean energy security pact, committing to 100GW of joint offshore wind projects in the North Sea as part of a wider ambition to reach 300GW by 2050.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “We are at a turning point in the North Sea's success story and our actions now will determine the huge potential for it to become the clean energy powerhouse of Britain.
"This is a call to arms for all those involved to come together in building a lasting future that will secure generations of highly skilled jobs and investment, while managing existing oil and gas production for decades to come.
"The North Sea's workers and communities have helped power the UK and the world for decades. The government's North Sea Future Plan will ensure they continue to do so for many decades to come. It sets a clear path to grow clean energy industries, support the management of existing oil and gas fields for their lifespan, and help North Sea workers and communities make the transition.”
Board membership
The North Sea Future Board includes UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks as chair, alongside UK Industry Minister Chris McDonald and Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin.
Industry and regulator representatives include Stuart Payne, Chief Executive of the North Sea Transition Authority; David Whitehouse, Chief Executive of Offshore Energies UK; Dan McGrail, Chief Executive of Great British Energy; Claire Mack OBE, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables; Maggie McGinlay, Chief Executive of ETZ Ltd; Joanne Leng, Chief Executive of NOF; Sam Long, Chief Executive of Decom Mission; Neil McCulloch, Chief Executive of Adura; Sarah Moore, Chief Executive of Peterson; Rich Denny, Managing Director of the Northern Endurance Partnership; and Olivia Powis of the Carbon Capture Storage Association.
Workforce and trade union representation includes John Boland of Unite, Darren Proctor, National Secretary of the RMT, and Claire Greer, Regional Organiser for GMB Scotland. Local and regional interests are represented by Jim Savege, Chief Executive of Aberdeenshire Council, alongside Jane Cooper, Deputy Chief Executive of RenewableUK, and Kevin Keable, Chair of the East of England Energy Group.
The board will meet quarterly and is tasked with driving investment across all North Sea regions, supporting workforce protections, identifying new supply chain opportunities and helping to remove barriers to delivering the energy transition.