EMISSIONS & CLIMATE

Getting ready for the NSTA 2027 Consents process

Simon Marshall
Simon Marshall
Lead Process Emissions Engineer

With the NSTA’s Annual Consents Exercise (ACE) now underway operators across the UKCS will be preparing their production, flaring and venting submissions against increasingly challenging regulatory and emissions reduction requirements.

The latest NSTA emissions monitoring data highlights the progress made by the industry in recent years:

  • UKCS production emissions have fallen by 34% since 2018,
  • Flaring activity now 51% lower than 2018 levels,
  • Absolute methane emissions have fallen by more than 50% since 2018.

While these figures show significant reductions, they also reflect the considerable engineering effort behind the scenes. Further improves will be require to meet net-zero targets and there will be increased focus on consent applications as zero routine flaring commitments raw closer. 

Flaring and venting management is receiving increased regulatory attention, with the NSTA issuing £1.375 million in penalties for consent breaches since 2021. As of January 2025, the starting point for breaching a flaring or venting consent is £500,000.

Since 2021, Xodus has supporting 20 flaring and emission reduction related projects globally, with 13 delivered in the UKCS. Our specialist have supporting operators throughout the project lifecycle, helping to identify, assess and deliver practical flare and vent reduction opportunities.

Xodus also supports operators in identifying and fulfilling permit requirements associated with production consent changes. The team has delivered both Screening Directions and Environmental Statements for production changes across a diverse range of scenarios, including subsea tiebacks to third-party operators, fields with multiple host installations and cross border developments. Since 2008, Xodus has provided these services to approximately 60% of operators across the UKCS.

Over recent years, Xodus has supporting clients with the following:

  • Flare Gas Recovery (FGR) assessments within Emissions Reduction Action Plans (ERAPs),
  • FGR Concept Studies
  • FGR Select studies, including package pipe stress analysis,
  • FGR Pre-FEED studies,
  • Operational support for FGR start-up,
  • Flare and Vent Management Plans,
  • Flare & Vent categorisation & calculations supporting consent applications,
  • Flare combustion efficiency & performance studies,
  • Flare technology reviews & flare emissions monitoring,
  • Preparation of Environmental Statements (ES) and Screening Directions for Production Consent process.

Whether you are preparing for ACE 2027 Annual Consents Exercise, updating your consent submissions and associated environmental permits or evaluating flare and vent reduction opportunities, we'd be delighted to discuss how our team can support you. 

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Simon Marshall
Simon Marshall
Lead Process Emissions Engineer
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