OGUK, the UK oil and gas industry’s trade body, is expanding to cover low-carbon energy generation – and getting a new name

OGUK, the leading representative body for the UK’s offshore oil and gas industry, announced today [Mon] that it is expanding to include the exciting low-carbon offshore energy technologies that its members are developing. These will include offshore wind, hydrogen production, carbon capture and storage systems, and other emerging low-carbon technologies.

The move will also see OGUK changing its name to Offshore Energies UK.
It follows a year-long strategic review and will formally take effect from February 14.
Offshore Energies UK will continue to champion the oil and gas sector but will also support those with an interest in carbon capture and storage, hydrogen production and offshore wind.
This natural step reflects the evolving nature of the industry in creating the diverse mix of energy generating systems needed to achieve net zero.

Deirdre Michie, CEO of Offshore Energies UK, said the organisation would be a unifying voice for an offshore energy sector that was undergoing rapid and positive change. Existing members approved the new strategic direction at their AGM in December 2021.

Offshore Energies UK will continue to work with regulators, policy-makers and wider stakeholders to champion the offshore energy industries and help achieve a managed transition towards the country’s climate goals. Some key elements of this work are already under way for carbon capture and hydrogen production, through the landmark North Sea Transition Deal that OGUK signed with the UK Government last March – the first deal of its kind by a G7 country.

Deirdre Michie said: “Our members are investing in cleaner energies, boosting the technologies needed to support jobs, communities and the UK’s energy security – and to drive the transition to low-carbon energy.

“Following an extensive strategic review, we recognised that we too need to evolve to reflect what is happening in our sector. Working with our members, we are driving forward towards the net zero energy future we all want to see. Our innovative companies, people and communities will add value to the UK economy as we build an integrated offshore energy sector.

“This is a natural next step for our organisation, which builds on our heritage of proudly championing the UK’s oil and gas industry.

“Extending our representation to include renewable and carbon cutting industries will better reflect the agile nature of the companies involved in energy production. We share the same interests, determination and ambition to deliver an integrated net-zero energy system that is cleaner and greener but also secure and sustainable.”

Our existing members are already involved in some of the most cutting-edge low-carbon projects across the country, including:
Acorn Hydrogen & CCS – to turn natural gas into clean hydrogen
Equinor’s Dogger Bank – the world’s largest windfarm
West Anglesey Tidal Energy Project -turning tides into electricity
Hywind Scotland – the world’s first floating windfarm
Drax Zero Carbon Humber Projects – Decarbonising the UK’s largest industrial region
OGCI Climate Investments – Promoting leadership, and investment in low-carbon tech
Net Zero Teesside – deploying carbon capture technologies to decarbonise Teesside

This announcement of OGUK’s scope extension and rebrand follows the recent Crown Estates Scotland ‘ScotWind’ leasing round, which saw 13 member companies winning leading roles in the 17 ScotWind projects. They will pay more than £570 million in leasing fees to build offshore wind farms and develop more than 20GW in potential capacity.