Offshore Energies UK

Britain still needs oil. From bitumen for roads to medical equipment, and from electronic devices to powering our vehicles - oil is the essential building block of our economy and society. As the Prime Minister said earlier this month, it does not make sense to only import the oil we need from overseas, when we can responsibly produce our own resources here in the UK. The majority of oil produced in the UK is not exported to international markets and never seen again. According to a Wood Mackenzie report in November 2025, 65% of all oil extracted in the UK is used here in Britain - powering our vehicles, underpinning technology, supporting healthcare, and driving economic growth. We need to move towards a more sustainable future. But while Britain still needs oil, we should prioritise our own production over imports, supporting UK jobs, industrial communities, tax revenues and energy security while reducing emissions.

OEUK welcomes that the Chancellor is legislating for the Oil and Gas Revenue Levy and ending the damaging Energy Profits Levy (EPL), however delaying its implementation until 2030 is holding back the £50 billion in investment that the UK needs. Retaining the EPL until 2030 means that the Treasury will miss out on the opportunity of nearly £15 billion in additional tax revenues and 1.3 billion barrels of additional oil and gas production. This means investment will continue to go abroad. David Whitehouse chief executive of OEUK said: “This Budget recognised the significant contribution of the North Sea to the UK economy but missed the bigger opportunity to unlock the investment needed to secure its future contribution to jobs, growth and energy security. This is about more than oil and gas. It is about Britain’s resilience. Reindustrialisation starts at home, attracting investment into UK energy, supply chains and industrial communities. We must back North Sea oil and gas, not imports.” oeuk.org.uk/2026-budget-miss…

As the Chancellor prepares to present his budget, we have made a clear case to the Treasury for: 1.Legislating the Oil and Gas Revenue Levy (OGRL) in the 2026 Finance Bill 2.Ending the Energy Profits Levy and bringing the OGRL forward to January 2027 3.Providing long term investment certainty for offshore wind through continued CfD delivery and transmission charging reform, and for CCS through sustained cluster deployment and enabling CO2 imports. Bringing forward the OGRL would unlock £50 billion of investment in domestic energy production and drive reindustrialisation. Keeping the EPL will only ensure the continued decline of domestic production at an accelerated rate. The OGRL ensures that the taxpayer benefits during periods of high energy prices whilst sustaining investment in the North Sea when oil and gas prices are low. This budget is a one-off chance to boost growth, strengthen energy security and back UK jobs and our national energy industry. The Chancellor needs to show that the UK is open for business and ready for investment. As our CEO David Whitehouse says: “The choice for the Chancellor is clear. Back homegrown energy and British jobs and keep more investment here in the UK.” The Government has said it wants to take a “pragmatic” approach to the North Sea. Now we need to see those words turned into action. oeuk.org.uk/chancellors-budg…

From making the argument to changing the debate. Team OEUK has been out in force across the media following the Jackdaw decision, championing the case for homegrown energy, jobs, investment and energy security. Jackdaw is a significant step forward. Government is increasingly talking the language of pragmatism and domestic energy that OEUK has consistently called for. But we’re not stopping here. The case for Rosebank is next. The work continues to turn a shift in language, into policy change that backs the North Sea not imports.

Today OEUK hosted a members roundtable with leading broadcaster and journalist Andrew Marr to discuss the Government’s policy direction since the change in Prime Minister, particularly in light of this week’s announcement on the Jackdaw gas field. After introductory remarks from Andrew, members had the opportunity to ask questions covering a range of policy topics from energy to employment. As our industry continues to engage with the government on key decisions such as Rosebank, these events provide valuable insights into Government positioning. Our Acting Corporate Affairs Director Dr Mark McClelland challenged the narrative that all oil produced in the UK is exported to global markets, pointing instead to the reality that 65% of oil produced in UK waters is ultimately consumed in the UK.

At a critical juncture for our offshore energies sector, political leaders can’t forget that people, places and pride are central to the debate over the North Sea’s future. “My Energy Job” is a space for people of energy to share their stories, bridge the gulf between production and policymakers, and campaign for the prioritisation of North Sea oil and gas.

“While we use oil and gas, we should prioritise our own production from the North Sea, not imports.” OEUK Chief Executive David Whitehouse spoke to Channel 4 News about why Britain must back its own energy industries: channel4.com/news/is-the-uks… Jackdaw is an important step forward. Now we need Rosebank and the wider pipeline of opportunities to progress too. Reindustrialising Britain means backing British jobs, investment and homegrown energy, not increasing our reliance on imports.

OEUK welcomes the green light given to the Jackdaw gas project. As the Prime Minister has recognised, the question is not whether we use oil and gas, but where it comes from. The UK needs to back North Sea oil and gas. Not imports. Today's decision on Jackdaw is an important first step in supporting that principle. The government now needs to approve all planned North Sea energy projects - including Rosebank - to enhance UK energy security, boost tax revenues, and reduce dependency on carbon-intensive imports. Read our press release to find out more: oeuk.org.uk/government-must-…

At SNP Conference in Aberdeen, the debate on Scotland’s energy future contained some important recognition of the role domestic energy production continues to play in our economy and energy security. The conference backed the It’s Scotland’s Energy motion, including the principle that domestically produced oil and gas is preferable to higher-carbon imports. It also recognised the skills, expertise and infrastructure built through our oil and gas industry as foundations for the continued growth of our lower-carbon energy future. Scotland and the UK will continue to need oil and gas as the energy transition progresses. Where we can meet that demand through our own resources rather than increasing reliance on imports, we should, as it is better for our economy, our communities and our climate goals. That is why projects such as Rosebank and Jackdaw matter. Their approval and progression are critical to supporting energy security, sustaining jobs and supply chains, generating tax revenues and maintaining investment in our domestic energy production. What matters now is turning that recognition into policy that enables the North Sea to deliver both the energy we need today and a homegrown energy future.

OEUK was pleased to be at SNP Conference in Aberdeen last week, engaging with MPs, MSPs Cabinet Secretaries on the future of Scotland’s offshore energy sector. Our conversations focused on how Scotland can build on the industrial strength of the North Sea to secure investment, support highly skilled jobs and supply chains, and unlock new opportunities across oil and gas and renewables. A particular highlight was our fringe event with Holyrood, The Future of the North Sea – Unlocking Scotland’s Potential. David Whitehouse, Chief Executive of OEUK, was joined by Stephen Gethins MSP, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy, and Donna Sutherland, Head of Commercial at Veri Energy, for a wide-ranging discussion chaired by Chris Marshall, Deputy Editor of Holyrood Magazine. Thank you to our speakers, Holyrood and everyone who joined the discussion. The North Sea remains one of Scotland’s great industrial assets. The decisions taken now will determine how much of its economic potential we retain and build on for the future.

It was a pleasure to welcome a delegation from Turkmenistan's energy sector to Aberdeen this week as part of a UK-Turkmenistan methane abatement study visit. The programme was designed to share UK experience in reducing methane emissions and improving emissions monitoring, reporting and management across the oil and gas sector. The delegation visited Offshore Energies UK, where discussions covered the UK offshore sector, methane performance, industry-regulator collaboration, progress on flaring and venting reduction, and the implementation of OGMP 2.0 and asset-level emissions reporting. The visit also included a tour of Shell's St Fergus Gas Terminal, offering a valuable opportunity to see how methane management, emissions monitoring and operational processes are applied in practice at a major piece of UK energy infrastructure. With thanks to Shell, Cairngorm Edge, NeoNext+ and Ithaca Energy for supporting the visit. International knowledge-sharing and collaboration remain vital as our industry works to reduce emissions while continuing to provide secure and reliable energy. #OffshoreEnergiesUK #BacktheNorthSea

This evening at SNP Conference, OEUK and Holyrood will bring together political and industry voices to discuss The Future of the North Sea – Unlocking Scotland’s Potential. Chaired by Chris Marshall, Deputy Editor of Holyrood, the discussion will feature David Whitehouse, Chief Executive of OEUK; Stephen Gethins MSP, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy; and Donna Sutherland, Head of Commercial at Veri Energy. The conversation will consider the decisions needed to support skilled jobs, communities and supply chains, attract investment and ensure Scotland’s offshore energy strengths continue to contribute to economic growth, industrial capacity and energy security. This Fringe event will be taking place in Conference Suite 3 from 17:00-18:00. All conference attendees are welcome to join us. us.

Today is a landmark engineering achievement for UK industrial decarbonisation! OEUK members @eni CCUS Holding have reached an important milestone for Liverpool Bay CCS with the installation of the Douglas Platform, the world’s first purpose-built offshore platform dedicated to transporting and storing captured CO₂. The installation of the Douglas Platform is another step towards enabling heavy industries across North West England and North Wales in the HyNet cluster reduce emissions at scale. Delivered in less than 18 months, it combines purpose built infrastructure as well as repurposed, showing how the UK’s existing expertise and assets can accelerate the transition. With around 60% of project expenditure supporting UK supply chain companies and more than 2,000 construction jobs, this milestone demonstrates how decarbonisation can support high value supply chains and unlock investment, innovation and long-term industrial opportunity. #CCS #IndustrialDecarbonisation #Engineering #EnergyTransition

It was standing-room only and a big turnout last night at the OEUK fringe event at Conservative Party Conference on Securing Britain's Energy Future: Prioritising the North Sea. Partnering with Prospect Magazine, we were delighted to have Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Andrew Bowie and Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Harriet Cross join our Acting Corporate Affairs Director Mark McClelland for a very robust discussion on the challenges facing the North Sea and the fiscal/regulatory changes required to prioritise homegrown energy production. Mark made the case for replacing the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) with the Oil and Gas Revenue Levy (OGRL), approval of Jackdaw and Rosebank, and creating a regulatory framework that sees projects unlocked in the North Sea. Both Andrew and Harriet showed strong support for homegrown production over imports, which OEUK welcomes as we build a broad, cross-party consensus for an all-energy approach that prioritises our domestic industry. #CPC26 #BacktheNorthSea #OEUK #OffshoreEnergiesUK

HSE Conference 2027 | Investigate. Improve. Implement. 📅 24 February 2027 📍 P&J Live, Aberdeen Join us for OEUK's HSE Conference 2027, bringing together industry leaders, HSE professionals, operational teams and technical specialists to explore how our sector can turn learning into action and drive measurable improvements in health, safety, environmental and emissions performance. OEUK's HSE Conference has long been a must-attend event for those responsible for improving health, safety, environmental and emissions performance within their organisations. This is your opportunity to hear directly from industry experts, benchmark your organisation against leading practice and build valuable connections with colleagues from across the offshore energy sector. 📰 Read our latest press release - oeuk.org.uk/investigate-impr… 🎫 Find out more and book your early bird tickets at - ow.ly/TjqZ50ZUrfp ☑️ Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities available! #HSEConf27 #Health #Safety #Environment #HSE #Energy #OEUKEvents

It's been an action-packed week in Liverpool for OEUK at Labour Party Conference. ✅ Hosted three brilliant fringe events with Minister for Energy Michael Shanks, Minister for Re-industrialisation Blair McDougall and Henry Tufnell MP. ✅ Flooded Liverpool city centre with Back North Sea Oil and Gas: Not Imports campaign adverts. ✅ Attended numerous panels, bilateral meetings, events, breakfast, lunches, dinners, engaging with Labour politicians across the party. We took the message to the government to back UK energy production over imports, and to create a modern industrial Britain, secured by homegrown energy. There has been a shift in language. The Prime Minister declared he wants a pragmatic approach to the North Sea. It's now time to turn that rhetoric into meaningful policy change. 1. Accelerate the introduction of the Oil and Gas Revenue Levy. 2. Approve Jackdaw and Rosebank. Create a regulatory framework that enables offshore projects to be delivered. Pursue an all-energy approach which prioritises UK oil, gas, wind, hydrogen and CCS. #Lab26 #BacktheNorthSea #OEUK #OffshoreEnergiesUK

OEUK had a big team out in force in Liverpool this week, engaging Labour MPs and ministers, and continuing the campaign from the summer to Back North Sea Oil and Gas: Not Imports. As Labour conference came to a close, our Workforce Engagement Campaign Lead Peter Welsh gave his reflections and outlined the importance of boosting homegrown energy production. #Lab26 #OEUK #OffshoreEnergiesUK #BacktheNorthSea

Brilliant morning at Labour Party Conference with OEUK hosting Energy Minister Michael Shanks for a packed fringe event before partnering with other foundational industries for an engaging session with Minister for Re-industrialisation Blair McDougall. Our CEO, David Whitehouse made the case for homegrown production over imports; to build a modern industrial Britain, secured by homegrown energy. #Lab26 #BacktheNorthSea #OEUK #OffshoreEnergiesUK

After our fringe event this morning, OEUK Chief Executive David Whitehouse gave his thoughts on the importance of the offshore energy sector. North Sea production is critical for delivering key policy themes of reindustrialisation and communities emphasised by the Prime Minister and Chancellor. #Lab26 #OEUK #OffshoreEnergiesUK

OEUK hosted the first of three fringe events at Labour Party Conference this morning. We were delighted to partner with Prospect Magazine and were joined by a broad range of industry leaders and Henry Tufnell MP to discuss the future of offshore energy production and its role in developing a lower carbon future for the UK. #Lab26 #OEUK #OffshoreEnergiesUK