Energy Act 2016
The Energy Act 2016 formally establishes the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), sets its regulatory powers, and regulates onshore wind power.
The OGA is set up to regulate the oil and gas sector while aiming to achieve the “Principle Objective” of “maximising the economic recovery of UK petroleum” and promoting carbon storage. Its main activities should include:
- Regulating oil and gas, and carbon storage;
- Influencing industry culture, commercial behaviour, and promoting collaboration; and
- Promoting investment in carbon and storage, creating value, and developing the industry.
The overall objectives of the Energy Act related to oil and gas industry include:
- regulate upstream petroleum infrastructure usage rights (Part 2)
- regulate abandonment of offshore installations, submarine pipelines and upstream petroleum infrastructure (Part 3)
- regulate extension of the Northern Ireland Part 1A of the Petroleum Act 1998 (Part 3)
- regulate fees in respect of activities surrounding oil, gas, carbon dioxide and pipelines (Part 4)
The Act further amends Electricity Act 1989 to add provisions related to closure of onshore power stations and to use of Northern Ireland certificates (Part 5 of the Energy Act 2016).
Categories
Energy Supply Institutions / Administrative arrangementsNote: The 2015 Climate Legislation Study includes laws and policies which were passed before or on January 1, 2015. Laws and policies which passed after this date may not be included in the individual country chapters.
