About: North Sea
German offshore wind expansion ‘will be a major effort’, says Habeck
As Olaf Scholz was confirmed as Germany's new Chancellor on Wednesday (8 December), his second in command Robert Habeck faces a massive challenge: kickstarting a rapid expansion of renewables that touches on the limits of the possible.
Virus crisis threatens to set back oil platform decommissioning
Oil companies are being forced to cut spending due to a fall in global oil prices, threatening funds earmarked to dismantle dated off-shore rigs, despite environmental risks.
European Commission to present offshore wind strategy in October
While the European Commission readies its new industrial strategy for Tuesday (10 March), it is also working on plans to promote wind farms at sea – an area where Berlin is keen to make quick progress. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Commission sets out 2020 fishing quotas in the Atlantic and North Sea
On 24 October, the EU proposed to significantly reduce total allowable catches (TACs) in the North-East Atlantic and the North Sea for cod starting in 2020. EURACTIV's partner le Journal de l'Environnement reports.
Europe grapples with Dutch gas production ‘collapse’
For the first time, the Netherlands became a net importer of gas last year, reflecting the inexorable decline in production from Europe’s North Sea fields – an issue EU policymakers are only starting to come to terms with.
Academic: ‘Huge progress’ in EU gas markets but supply still an issue
The integration of European gas markets has made strides over the last fifteen years, bolstering energy security in Eastern EU countries as a result, says Jonathan Stern. But the collapse of Dutch production means Russia will probably remain at the centre of the game for years to come, he cautions.
Abandoned wells pump thousands of tonnes of ‘fugitive’ emissions into North Sea
Thousands of tonnes of methane could be leaking into the North Sea every year from disused offshore oil and gas wells, according to a new study.
Renewable energy: A simple strategy to regain global leadership
The EU is no longer leading the global energy transition. To reclaim this position, it must stop prioritising fossil fuels and nuclear, increase energy efficiency and keep fossil fuels in the ground, argues Christine Lins.
North and Baltic Seas threatened by human activity
Germany’s marine agency has presented its findings regarding the state of the North and Baltic Seas, with human activity threatening animal life and the environment. EURACTIV's partner Tagesspiegel reports.
North Sea Grid will prove EU is serious about Energy Union
There is cross-party support and a common vision for a North Sea Grid as part of the Energy Union project. But it must be prioritised by policymakers, write Bas Eickhout and Ian Duncan.
Ship accident highlights Arctic drilling perils
One of the drill ships that Royal Dutch Shell plans to use in a controversial Arctic drilling programme slipped off its moorings and drifted to the edge of shore in Alaska's Aleutian islands, a US Coast Guard representative said.High offshore safety standards in North Sea must not be risked
The European Commission’s intention to improve safety in offshore oil and gas across Europe by using the UK’s best practices should be welcomed. However, the form of legislation proposed would have the opposite effect and undo decades of established regulatory experience - putting the safety of workers at risk, writes Malcolm Webb, chief executive of Oil & Gas UK. VideoPromoted content