29 Apr 2025 NSTA chief executive's speech at Innovation Zero: Turning ambition into reality in the North Sea
What we do - Licensing and consents The UK’s offshore and onshore energy resources are being developed by a wide range of companies spanning different sectors. These rich and abundant resources continue to attract new companies and investors from within the UK and overseas. View more
Licensing and consents Licences fall into several categories. The principal distinctions are between onshore licences and offshore licences, with a further distinction between exploration licences. View more
Consents The Consents and Authorisations team is part of the Regulation directorate and prepare, authorise, and issue formal consents and authorisations to enable oil and gas fields to be developed and hydrocarbons produced. View more
Annual Consents Exercise This page contains information regarding the Annual Consents Exercise (“ACE”) in the following sections: View more
Flaring and venting The NSTA is the regulator for flaring and venting under the Energy Act 1976 (as amended by the Energy Act 2016) and the Petroleum Act 1998 View more
Pipeline Works Authorisations The Consents and Authorisations team is part of the Regulation directorate and prepare, authorise, and issue formal consents and authorisations to enable oil and gas fields to be developed and hydrocarbons produced. View more
Production Consents Under the Model Clauses in the licence, licensees are required to obtain authorisation from the NSTA to install facilities or to produce hydrocarbons. View more
