Carbon storage in the UK has taken another step forward after the NSTA granted consent to drill a carbon storage appraisal well which could become a build-out of the Endurance project off the coast of Teesside.
It is another important step forward in helping the growing industry reach first injection and meet government targets of storing 100 million tonnes of CO2 per year, which the Climate Change Committee calculates is vital for the UK to meet net zero by 2050.
The government signalled its support by committing up to £21.7 billion in funding for the industry, which could create 50,000 jobs in the long-term.
The NSTA is currently offering 14 locations in the UK’s second carbon storage licensing round building on the 21 licences awarded in the first round in 2023.
The Endurance project, off the coast of Teesside, was awarded the first carbon storage permit in December 2024, with HyNet in the East Irish Sea, awarded three permits in April 2025.
The appraisal well which is managed by NZNSS Ltd on CS licence CS006 in the Southern North Sea is due to spud on 7 March and drilling and the comprehensive data acquisition and analysis programme is scheduled to take approximately 90 days in total. The consent term is two years.
Andy Brooks, Director of New Ventures, said:
'The green light for this appraisal well is the latest exciting milestone for the UK’s growing carbon storage industry, which continues to gain momentum and create opportunities for the offshore supply chain. This is the energy transition in action.'
Source: NSTA
