Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is considering to implement robust leak detection and repair requirements to reduce wasted gas and methane emissions coming from North Sea oil and gas operators.

The UK environmental regulators have established a Methane Technical Working Group to share knowledge and identify best practices for leak detection and emissions monitoring across oil and gas regulators both onshore and offshore. My Department’s Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment & Decommissioning (OPRED) will continue to work with OEUK (the lead industry trade body) and regulatory partners such as the North Sea Transition Authority to share findings and recommendations with industry to inform improvements to emissions reduction initiatives including methane action plans.