Offshore Oil and Gas: Venting and Flaring
Debate between Lord Whitehead and Baroness Watkins of Tavistock(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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Lord Whitehead (Lab)
The Government are not tolerating the wastage of gas in the way the noble Earl suggested. The target that we have set, which the industry is adhering to, is for zero upstream flaring and zero upstream venting by 2030. As I have set out, the intensities that go with that are reducing ahead of the target and will certainly be met by 2030.
Baroness Watkins of Tavistock (CB)
My Lords, can the Minister explain whether, when calculating emissions from the UK, we estimate the emissions associated with imported oil and gas? If not, why not? The initial suggestions are that increasing our production would, in global terms, reduce the amount of emissions associated with our own use of energy.
Lord Whitehead (Lab)
I believe that that is a fairly complicated question in terms of national emissions versus overall global emissions. Obviously, as far as the UK generally is concerned, the calculations for emission purposes are based on national emissions. But, as the noble Baroness will know, there is a parallel consideration on what the case is for imported emissions and how that factors into the national figures. I will certainly write to her to clarify that position in total.