The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has welcomed the news that the former Chief Executive Andy Samuel has been awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours List for services to the energy sector.
Andy took up the Chief Executive role at the newly-formed Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) in 2015 and quickly helped to improve the North Sea oil and gas industry’s performance by working closely with the sector and government.
Andy said: “It’s a great honour to receive this award. I am humbled and very grateful to have led such a brilliant team over the last eight years working across industry to accelerate the energy transition whilst enhancing security of supply”.
Andy, who is passionate about nature and the environment, was the driving force behind the OGA’s evolution into a regulator which puts the energy transition to net zero at the heart of its work. Renamed as the NSTA in 2022, it uses monitoring, benchmarking and guidance to hold the industry to account on emissions reduction targets. Also in 2022, the NSTA launched the UK’s first ever carbon storage round in response to strong interest from companies eager to enter the market.
Before joining the regulator, Andy held a variety of international leadership roles at BG Group over 20 years, including Managing Director, Europe, Exploration and Production. He serves on a number of boards and co-chaired the Aberdeen Maggie’s cancer charity for five years.
Stuart Payne, who has succeeded Andy as the NSTA’s Chief Executive, said: “I was delighted to see Andy recognised by His Majesty in the New Year’s honours list, acknowledging the huge amount that Andy personally has done to drive the energy transition and bring together industry and government throughout his eight years in charge.
“It was a fitting way to conclude his time with us, and I’ve spoken with him and said that on behalf of all of the team here at the NSTA we are proud of him.”