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Fossil Fuels

Asked by Carla DenyerGreen PartyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled Answered 26 November 2025UIN 92312

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department's proposed policy on tiebacks in oil and gas drilling allows for the exploitation of new fields via tiebacks to existing infrastructure in fields that have already been licenced.

Answered by Michael Shanks

On 26 November, the Government published its North Sea Future Plan.

The plan implements the Government’s manifesto commitments to manage existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan, and to not issue new licences to explore new oil and gas fields. As part of this, the government will introduce new Transitional Energy Certificates which will enable limited oil and gas production on or near to existing fields, so long as this additional production does not require new exploration, is already part of or links back to existing fields and infrastructure, and is necessary for a managed, orderly and prosperous transition.

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