UK’s carbon storage drive advances with go-ahead for North Sea appraisal well

March 5, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Great Britain’s regulator, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), has given its blessing for the drilling of a carbon storage appraisal well on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).

Source: North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA)

The NSTA has now granted a two-year consent to drill a carbon storage appraisal well as part of the Endurance project off the coast of Teesside, which is interpreted as another important step forward in helping the growing industry reach first injection and meet government targets of storing 100 million tonnes of CO2 per year. This is the target the Climate Change Committee calculates as vital for the UK to meet net zero by 2050.

The drilling and the comprehensive data acquisition and analysis program for the appraisal well, due to spud on March 1 and managed by NZNSS on CS licence CS006 in the Southern North Sea, is scheduled to take approximately 90 days in total.

Andy Brooks, Director of New Ventures, commented:“The green light for this appraisal well is the latest exciting milestone for the UK’s growing carbon storage industry, which continues to gain momentum and create opportunities for the offshore supply chain. This is the energy transition in action.”

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The Endurance project off the coast of Teesside was awarded the first carbon storage permit in December 2024, with HyNet in the East Irish Sea, awarded three permits in April 2025.

The British government signalled its support by committing up to £21.7 billion (around $28.95 billion) in funding for the industry, which could create 50,000 jobs in the long-term.

The North Sea Transition Authority is currently offering 14 locations in the UK’s second carbon storage licensing round, building on the 21 licences awarded in the first round in 2023.