The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) is set to become the regulator for offshore hydrogen transport and storage, enabling pioneering projects to move swiftly into operation by handing them the necessary licenses and consents.
Once legislation is fully in place, offshore hydrogen pipelines will be brought under similar arrangements currently used for oil and gas pipelines with the NSTA as their licensing and consenting authority. The NSTA will also become the licensing and consenting authority for offshore hydrogen storage, handing it the power to give out hydrogen storage licenses.
Through the new arrangements, the NSTA will become a consultee to the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) on decommissioning and repurposing offshore hydrogen transport and storage, with OPRED becoming the decommissioning and environmental regulator for offshore hydrogen transport and storage.
