ENERGY TRANSITION SERVICE

A windfall tax on electricity generation and North Sea oil and gas could hurt the UK government's green energy plans.

Energy security concerns and soaring commodity prices are contributing to a broad shift in ESG pressures on the oil and gas sector.

The Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region is seeing flourishing interest in clean hydrogen (both green and blue), backed by climate policy pressures and fed by hoped-for growth in future export markets. Europe’s major energy policy shift, seeking to cut Russian energy imports, could accelerate hydrogen demand growth, as could interest from major Asian economies. Mena hydrogen production is well placed to compete globally due to abundant natural gas and low-cost renewable power. Our Levelized Cost of Hydrogen analysis highlights the initial cost advantage for blue hydrogen production; this lead over green hydrogen may narrow quickly as costs of electrolyzers and renewable electricity fall. Planned Mena hydrogen projects are keeping up recent momentum, with more details emerging; however, most are still at an early stage. Hydrogen is a good fit for the evolving priorities of state NOCs, and western IOCs seeking regional partners, but established oil firms are not central players in most leading Mena projects.