That was the question Andy Brooks posed during our Area Hub Strategy session last week.

Andy highlighted that around 80% of known remaining reserves in the UK North Sea are already licensed. The challenge is turning those licences into investable projects before critical infrastructure reaches the end of its economic life.

To make this a reality, the basin needs a different commercial approach. “In a mature basin built on shared infrastructure, progress cannot be framed as one party winning and another losing. Unlocking remaining value will require greater alignment around shared risk, shared value, and shared outcomes.”

The licences, infrastructure and capability exist. Avoiding the domino effect will depend on how effectively we collaborate and whether commercial frameworks evolve quickly enough to support that collaboration.

As part of the North Sea Future Plan, the NSTA is working with terminal and pipeline owners to better understand the complexity of infrastructure interconnections and avoid knock-on implications as assets reach the end of their lives.