Improve transparency from Oil and Gas companies and regulators

383.  While the NSTA publishes an annual Emissions Monitoring Report which tracks industry performance against emissions reduction targets, we do not have comprehensive data of how companies or their assets are performing and therefore accountability is low.

384.  Similarly, we have heard from industry that domestic gas produced is cleaner than imported alternatives due to its lower carbon intensity. However, this data is relatively patchy and is often from third parties and therefore not always impartial.

385.  Finally, we also have a relatively poor understanding of whether changes in production displace production in other regions.

386.  NSTA must therefore improve transparency on progress against the 2030 emissions and flaring targets at a company or asset level by the end of 2023. This should be delivered through their Emissions Monitoring Report.

387.  Furthermore, in order to improve the evidence base and achieve meaningful reductions in emissions from the import and production of oil and gas, by the end of 2023 we recommend greater transparency and data from industry on the carbon intensity of oil and gas imports and from NSTA and industry on oil and gas that is produced. We believe this will support the social license to operate that oil and gas companies have in the UK. The NSTA and industry could for example provide greater clarity on the emission factors they include in their system calculations, in particular the method for estimating fugitive emissions. Given growing third-party measurements of international oil and gas field emissions, we ask the NSTA to ensure official reports are not undercounting and to explain any discrepancies. For example, S&P Global found considerable variation with the GHG intensity of hubs/fields in the North Sea ranging from less than 1 kgCO2e/boe to nearly 150 kgCO2e/boe.290