MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st July, 2023) The United Kingdom plans to issue over 100 new licenses on oil and gas extraction in the North Sea in a renewed drive to achieve energy independence, the office of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday.
"Hundreds of new oil and gas licences will be granted in the UK, the Prime Minister has confirmed today (Monday 31 July), as the UK Government continues to back the North Sea oil and gas industry as part of drive to make Britain more energy independent," Sunak's office said.
The first licenses of the new package are planned to be issued this fall, according to the statement.
New carbon capture, use and storage clusters will be located in North East Scotland and the Humber tidal estuary in North East England, the prime minister's office said.
"We're choosing to power up Britain from Britain and invest in crucial industries such as carbon capture and storage, rather than depend on more carbon intensive gas imports from overseas," Sunak said, according to the statement.
Since the beginning of the Russian military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, the UK authorities have taken steps to reduce energy imports from Russia and increase oil and gas production in the North Sea. In October, British regulators started processing applications to explore 898 gas and oil deposits in the North Sea and prepared to award more than 100 drilling licenses.
