Yesterday (26 November 2025), the Government set out its plan to manage the North Sea oil and gas fields, protect jobs, and grow clean energy industries. Read more here.

The intent to ensure a sustainable future for the North Sea is commendable, protecting existing jobs and providing the next generation of good jobs in sectors such as clean energy, advanced manufacturing and defence. This, set within the context of the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy and mission to become a clean energy super-power, aligned with government investment in homegrown clean energy. The new blueprint provides for transition and a path to grow clean energy industries.

The plan lacks acknowledgement of other regions that also must transition in the South of the UK, and can help achieve the mission of the UK evolving to be a clean energy superpower.

Changes are proposed to the North Sea Transition Authority‘s objectives and powers, which will balance decisions against three primary objectives.

• To maximise societal economic value;
• To assist the Secretary of State  in meeting Net Zero goals; and
• Consider the long-term benefits of the transition of North Sea workers, communities and supply chains.

NSTA are the Government regulator responsible for the issue of CCUS licences in Lyme Bay, and is based in Aberdeen. They license, regulate and influence the UK oil and gas, offshore hydrogen, and carbon storage industries. They also support UK energy security, drive emissions reduction from UK supplies, and help accelerate the transition to net zero to realise the potential of the North Sea as an integrated energy basin.

There appears to be little oversight. With devolved decision-making and no account of local deprivation and need for transition away from former energy and defence industries, how can they consider the best interests of the South West,  enable international investment and support our contribution towards UK energy security and decarbonisation?

Nonetheless, we would like to see those objectives in action in Dorset and the wider South West. Let’s hope a site visit can be arranged!

I note the introduction of a Minister-led delivery board, transitional energy certificates to enable limited oil and gas production and the new North Sea Jobs Service. Whilst the Government is clearly scaling up Britain’s clean energy industries and wider supply chains, there is a sole focus on the North and Scotland. Our consultation response, highlighting the need to consider transition in the South, has been met with silence.

The changing licensing landscape has certainly impacted businesses, including small and micro and/or medium-sized businesses (SME’s). Disproportionate effects of policy changes due to limited financial resources and technical expertise, and potential high entry costs, are limiting the ability of SME’s to capitalise on new market opportunities. A deeper understanding of the impact and timing of licencing to create the conditions for private sector investment will be key… rather than a more traditional approach of grants, subsidies and training programmes.

Government does recognise that SME’s can play a key role in supply chains and the value they provide to local communities, the workforce and the economy; however, there is a lack of practical solutions about how to enable to unlocking of private investment.

There is potential for import and export for both hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and we believe that ports are key assets and have the capability to evolve and integrate clean energy industries to deliver the transition.

Whilst “The government is committed to ensuring that no one person is left behind as part of the North Sea clean energy transition” … we now need to consider how the Government and the NSTA can ensure a fair and sustainable transition in the South to avoid whole communities being left behind.