OIES – Bridging the Methane Gap: What the EU Import Standard Means for UK Oil and Gas Exports?

The main theme of the document is the analysis of the consequences of the European Union's Methane Emissions Regulation (EU MER) for UK oil and gas exports.

The regulation, which came into effect in August 2024, sets a methane emissions intensity standard for fossil fuel imports into the EU, imposing new requirements on EU importers and indirectly on UK producers and exporters. The document highlights potential commercial and reputational risks for UK offshore producers, considering that in 2024, the EU-27 countries accounted for 70% of the UK's oil exports and nearly all of its gas exports.