Eni UK Ltd confirms a limited hydocarbons release (Oil leak) has taken place

ON 15 February 2022, Eni UK Ltd officially confirmed that:- "A limited hydocarbons release of less than 500 barrels occurred on Monday, 14 February 2022, from its pipeline between the Conwy and Douglas Installations, approximately 33 km from the North Wales coast. Details of the incident are still being confirmed. The Conwy to Douglas line was shut immediately and remains off. All the relevant authorities have been promptly informed and we are working in full collaboration with them. There is no impact to any personnel on the installations. An Incident Management Team has been mobilised and is working closely with the relevant authorities and response contractors to understand the situation and minimise any effect to the environment."

In a follow up statement issued on 16 February 2022, ENI UK added that:- "We are aware of a number of small tar balls washing up on a section of the Blackpool coast. The clean up teams are onsite and working closely with the local authorities and Coastguard. If you find any, please do not remove them and instead leave it to professionals. should you find any on the Sefton Coastline, please contact the Ranger service, at Green Sefton, on:- 01519342961."

Dr Stephen Jay, Director of the Liverpool Institute for Sustainable Coasts and Oceans and Reader in Marine Planning at the University of Liverpool, said:- "The reported oil spill from the Eni pipeline in Liverpool Bay is thankfully small scale, compared to major spills that sometimes hit the news. However, it is not without consequences, especially if it does wash onshore. This week's high tides and stormy weather could lead to oil pollution extending further onshore than would otherwise be the case. The North West England and North Wales coasts contain a host of sensitive and valuable habitats, such as estuaries, salt marshes and dune systems, which could be impacted by oil pollution. Although it is reassuring to know that Eni and the relevant authorities are monitoring the situation, it would be helpful to know what measures are being considered to limit the spread of the spill."

A Sefton Council spokesperson has also added:- "We have been made aware of a limited quantity of hydrocarbons (oil) being released off the North Wales coast. Owing to currents and weather forecasts, we may see deposits, in the form of:- 'tar balls' washing up on our coastline as a result of this incident. We would also stress that removal of this waste should only be carried out by professionals and we ask that members of the public do not attempt to remove any:- 'tar ball' deposits. While this type of incident is rare, Sefton Council and its partner agencies have robust plans in place to ensure any contamination or disruption to our coastline is minimal. We will be supporting ENI UK Limited's clean up teams in the coming weeks to remove any potential contamination. Posters have been erected along our coastline to inform visitors to our beach of this issue and we would ask that dogs are kept supervised at all times. If you come across these deposits, call us on:- 01519342961 to report them."

CBI Chief Economist response to latest GDP figures

THE CBI Chief Economist, Rain Newton Smith, said:- "The UK economy saw a lacklustre end to the year hit by the emergence of the Omicron variant and Plan B restrictions. While the worst of the impact appears to be over, firms are still grappling with supply shortages and cost pressures, while households are facing a looming cost of living crisis. We're caught in a low growth trap, and the only way to get out is a relentless focus on competitiveness. A 100% permanent investment deduction can trigger a chain reaction of business spending across the whole economy. And a future focused approach to regulation and skills will be vital to help us avoid another lost decade of growth."

Eni UK: achieved a major breakthrough for UK's decarbonization process

Eni UK currently operates Liverpool Bay facilities in the East Irish Sea and the depleted Hewett gas field, located 19 miles off the Norfolk coast, which is currently in its decommissioning phase. The firm has announced that it has reached a total of 19 MoUs signed with as many companies interested in the opportunity to have their emissions captured, transported and stored in Eni UK's depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs as part of HyNet North West project. In January 2022 alone, it signed 6 of these agreements, demonstrating the outstanding interest that UK industry has shown for the decarbonisation potential offered by the HyNet project, which benefits from the expertise and ideal location of Eni UK's infrastructure for transportation and storage. Once operational, the HyNet North West project will transform 1 of the most energy intensive industrial districts, within the UK, into the world's 1st low carbon industrial cluster. In particular the project will provide important support to the UK's decarbonisation process by contributing 100% to the 10 million tons per year of CO2 storage capacity and 80% to the 5GW of low carbon hydrogen Government's UK wide targets set for 2030. The agreements signed to date include hard to abate sectors and will play a crucial role enabling decarbonisation initiatives in the North West of England and North Wales industrial cluster. In October 2020, Eni UK was awarded a CO2 appraisal and storage license in Liverpool Bay to develop a CO2 storage site and in October 2021 the HyNet North West Cluster has been selected by the UK Government as 1 of the 2 priority projects (Track 1 projects) out of 5 competing in the CCUS Cluster Sequencing Process. Moreover, Eni UK has recently signed further agreements with Cory, Uniper and the Cavendish Project to evaluate further solutions in terms of storage for the decarbonisation of the UK's industrial clusters. For more information please visit:- ENI.Com.