Regulator profile

NSTA

North Sea Transition Authority

Enforcement Regulator UK-wide

What NSTA does

Licenses and regulates the UK oil and gas, offshore hydrogen, and carbon storage industries. Issues petroleum production licences and CO2 storage licences. Formerly the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA).

Key licences: Petroleum Production Licence, CO2 Storage Licence. Energy Portal for applications.

Carbon StorageLicensingPetroleum

Contact NSTA

Official guidance from NSTA

Curated guidance documents to help you understand your obligations.

Consents (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Field determinations (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Flaring and venting (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Licensing regime (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Annual Consents Exercise (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Area Plans (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Asset stewardship Benchmarking (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Asset Stewardship Expectations (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

View all 92 guidance documents (opens in a new tab)

Legislation that NSTA directly enforces.

Primary legislation

Petroleum Act 1998 Energy Act 2008 Energy Act 2023

Secondary legislation

The Offshore Petroleum Production and Pipe-lines (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1999 The Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2005 The Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Amendment of the Energy Act 2008 ) Regulations 2011 The Offshore Petroleum Licensing (Offshore Safety Directive) Regulations 2015

Legislation connected to NSTA’s remit but not directly enforced — establishing Acts, amendments, referenced legislation, and context.

Establishing / enabling

The Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (Directions in the Interests of National Security) Order 2002 UK Statutory Instrument The Petroleum Licensing (Exploration and Production) (Seaward and Landward Areas) Regulations 2004 UK Statutory Instrument The Petroleum Licensing (Production) (Seaward Areas) Regulations 2008 UK Statutory Instrument The Offshore Exploration (Petroleum, and Gas Storage and Unloading) (Model Clauses) Regulations 2009 UK Statutory Instrument The Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Licensing ) Regulations 2010 UK Statutory Instrument The Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Termination of Licences) Regulations 2011 UK Statutory Instrument The Petroleum Licensing (Exploration and Production) (Landward Areas) Regulations 2014 UK Statutory Instrument Infrastructure Act 2015 UK Act of Parliament The Petroleum Licensing (Applications) Regulations 2015 UK Statutory Instrument Energy Act 2016 UK Act of Parliament Oil and Gas Authority (Offshore Petroleum) (Fees) Regulations 2016 UK Statutory Instrument The Oil and Gas Authority (Levy) Regulations 2016 UK Statutory Instrument The Oil and Gas Authority (Fees and Petroleum Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 UK Statutory Instrument The Petroleum and Offshore Gas Storage and Unloading Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2017 UK Statutory Instrument The Oil and Gas Authority (Offshore Petroleum) (Disclosure of Protected Material after Specified Period) Regulations 2018 UK Statutory Instrument

… and 3 more.

Referenced in enforcement

Petroleum (Production) Act 1934 UK Act of Parliament Pipelines Act 1962 UK Act of Parliament Continental Shelf Act 1964 UK Act of Parliament Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Act 1966 UK Act of Parliament Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 UK Act of Parliament Electricity Act 1989 UK Act of Parliament The Diving Operations at Work (Amendment) Regulations 1992 UK Statutory Instrument Environment Act 1995 UK Act of Parliament The Offshore Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001 UK Statutory Instrument Energy Act 2004 UK Act of Parliament Climate Change Act 2008 UK Act of Parliament Offshore Installations (Offshore Safety Directive) (Safety Case ) Regulations 2015 UK Statutory Instrument

← All regulators