An oil and gas company owned by a major Tory donor who was fined for illegally starting fires has been given permission by the government to drill for fossil fuels.
This week the government granted rights to drill for fossil fuels in 24 new concession areas in the North Sea.one of the licenses EnQuest Given to Heathera subsidiary of Enquest.
Campaigners criticized ministers for rewarding “reckless and polluting behavior”, with Enquest saying: fined £150,000 In 2022, the North Sea was accused of burning an excess of 262 tonnes of gas in the Magnus field between November 30 and December 1, 2021, despite knowing that the necessary consents had not been obtained. Penalized by the Transition Authority (NSTA).
Campaigners also point out that since 2013, Enquest chief executive Amjad Buseis has donated £480,721.40 in cash and kind to the Conservative Party.
Recent North Sea licenses have been controversial.of the government claims Producing more oil there would “strengthen energy security and reduce the UK’s dependence on imports from hostile foreign regimes such as Russia”, and it would help move towards net zero. He said it was part of a “pragmatic” approach. The North Sea Migration Authority claims the permit will “ensure job security and benefit the local and wider economy”.
The report said: “This round is part of the North Sea Transition Authority’s (NSTA) efforts to support the oil and gas industry, which currently accounts for around three-quarters of the country’s energy needs and, according to official forecasts, will continue to do so. That’s an important part.” This is despite the decline in demand. ”
But the Committee on Climate Change and other energy experts have warned that new oil and gas licenses should not be granted to avoid climate catastrophe. Labor has promised no new oil and gas licenses if it comes to power.
Flaring is a controversial process because it burns excess fossil fuels, causing unnecessary pollution. This is a cheap way to process associated gas from oil production, and is banned in countries such as Norway, but allowed in the UK under certain circumstances.
Emma Darnally, legal director at the Good Law Project, said: “In exchange for investing in cheaper and greener energy sources, the government supports North Sea oil and gas’ extravagant ventures that help corporations and a few wealthy people make huge profits. It will come at a huge cost to our country’s environment and our economy. Do ministers think this is worth paying just to satisfy party donors?”
Philip Evans, senior climate campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: And because increasing oil and gas will only intensify the climate crisis and destroy lives and livelihoods around the world, it won’t even lower our bills or make the UK more energy secure. It is reasonable to think that this is probably not the case. Please keep our best interests in mind. But it would rightly raise eyebrows if those awarded licenses had a track record of reckless and polluting behavior, including breaching flaming rules while funding the Conservative government. . ”
There are other ways to deal with excess natural gas. For example, recovering natural gas so that it doesn’t burn wastefully and pollute the air for no reason.
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“Enquest and other companies with new exploration licenses are betting the world will fail,” said Bob Ward, director of policy and communications at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science. Ta. As we tackle climate change, demand for fossil fuels will remain high.
“Successful global climate change policies would mean lower demand and lower international market prices for oil and gas. Operating costs are relatively high in the North Sea, so when market prices are low, Oil and gas production is not profitable.
“That is why these operators need UK consumers to continue paying higher prices for oil and gas, and instead of investing in additional infrastructure to capture natural gas, They prefer to burn it.” This is the economics of an industry flush with customer money and hard to abandon inefficient, wasteful, and polluting practices. ”
EnQuest and the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero have been approached for comment.
