Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) is a leasing round for offshore wind projects that will directly reduce emissions from oil & gas production and boost further innovation.
Developers can apply for seabed rights to build two types of offshore wind project:
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IN - Small scale, innovative projects, of less than 100MW
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TOG - Projects connected directly to oil and gas infrastructure, to provide electricity and reduce the carbon emissions associated with production
INTOG is designed, in response to demand from government and industry, to help achieve the targets of the North Sea Transition Sector Deal.
Why is this important?
In order to reach net zero emissions by 2045, Scotland will need innovations in offshore wind which go beyond current technologies – so creating opportunities for developers to test new ideas is crucial.
Decarbonising oil & gas installations will also play an important role in the transition to net zero.
According to the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) power generation for oil & gas infrastructure in the UK, which comes primarily from the burning of fossil fuels, generates emissions equivalent to 10Mt every year: about the same amount generated by electricity use in nine million homes.
These emissions could be eliminated by powering the installations with electricity from new wind farms instead.
Current status
The registration window for INTOG opened on 10 August 2022, and closed on 24 August 2022.
The application window opened thereafter, before closing on 18 November 2022.
Applications were assessed and, on 24 March 2023, it was announced that 13 projects had been offered Exclusivity Agreements.
On 19 May 2023 it was confirmed that all five IN projects now have Exclusivity Agreements in place, helping enable the successful applicants to start offshore wind development work while Marine Scotland’s planning process for the INTOG Sectoral Marine Plan (INTOG SMP) is completed. TOG projects are expected to sign their Exclusivity Agreements later this year.
Proposed projects which are in the final INTOG Sectoral Marine Plan will be offered an option agreement, to enable further development work during the option period. Following the option period and subject to all conditions being satisfied (e.g. consents and finance being in place), Crown Estate Scotland will offer a seabed lease of 50 years for TOG projects and 25 years for IN projects. Developers will then be able to start construction.
