UK licence awards set stage for CO₂ storage push

Shell, Eni and independent operator Enquest dominate list of new licences as UK ramps up offshore storage push

Shell, Italy’s Eni and independent operator Enquest have positioned themselves as leading players in the development of carbon storage in the UK North Sea. The three companies feature prominently in a list of 21 confirmed storage licences awarded to 14 companies in the UK’s inaugural licensing round, according to regulator the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA). Shell has three outright licences—including areas in the Southern North Sea Sean and Indefatigable fields—and interests in two licences held by Storegga-owned Pale Blue Dot Energy, including the Acorn project in the Central North Sea. Enquest has four licences in the north, while Eni has a licence in the southern section. Independ