IOGP written input to the consultation “Maritime sector – a green post-COVID future”

This paper provides IOGP’s input to the Commission’s consultation on “Maritime sector– a green post-COVID future“

Context

Oceans and seas are important areas of operations for the European oil and gas industry, as more than 80% of its current oil and gas production takes place offshore. To protect the marine environment, exploration, drilling and production are conducted according to the highest industry standards and in line with the applicable EU legislation.

We believe that the development of the EU’s more sustainable ‘blue economy’ should be based on cooperation of all relevant stakeholders, sharing knowledge and experience, and include all technologies that can contribute to the objectives of the EU Green Deal such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU), renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG).

Key Points

• A stable, predictable and transparent regulatory framework in the EU seas and international oceans is essential to the planning and conduct of industrial projects offshore. IOGP supports initiatives that aim at efficient regulations, and a more efficient coordination ensuring closer cooperation between all organizations involved in ocean affairs, internationally and regionally
• Technologies like CCU and CCS and hydrogen – including low-carbon hydrogen – should be included in the EU’s sustainable blue economy agenda, and the future plans for maritime spatial planning, as they are key enablers of the EU Green Deal objectives
• The policy framework should support a holistic approach to the decarbonization of shipping through the deployment of a wide range of sustainable alternative fuels (LNG/bio-LNG, ammonia, methanol, liquids such as bio- and e-fuels or hybrid options) including Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), as well as renewable and low-carbon hydrogen
• We are ready to share the outcomes of our projects and the gathered data and experience collected by our researchers throughout the decades

• Introduction
• A stable, predictable, and transparent regulatory framework
• New technologies to enable growth
  • Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCU and CCS)
  • Hydrogen (including low-carbon hydrogen produced from natural with CCS or pyrolysis)
  • Re-purposing of existing offshore oil and gas infrastructure for CO2 and hydrogen transport and offshore renewable energy
• Contribution to sustainable shipping sector
• Industry and science collaborations
• Final Remarks