Carbon storage : a second round of licence for 14 new locations in Scottish and English waters (NSTA)

A carbon storage licensing round offering 14 locations in Scottish and English waters has been opened, announced the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) on 09/12/2025.

The economic licences aim to achieve net zero by capturing CO₂ emissions from industrial processes and injecting them into geological formations offshore. The CO₂ is transported from the point of production to the storage site, where it is stored deep underground in geological formations. For the Climate Change Committee (UK's independent advisor on tackling climate change) , "there is no viable path to net zero by 2050 without carbon storage".

Over the 14 areas, 5 will be in Scottish waters, and 9 off the coast of England. "Successful applicants for a carbon storage licence from the NSTA will require a seabed agreement from either Crown Estate Scotland or The Crown Estate in English waters, before a project can progress".

These areas fall into two broad categories :
• depleted hydrocarbon fields selected by the NSTA ;
• and saline aquifer sites identified "following a ‘Call for Nominations’ which earlier this year…