The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) opened its second carbon dioxide storage licensing round on 9 December 2025, offering acreage in English and Scottish waters for exploration and appraisal. Applications close on 24 March 2026, with licences expected in early 2027. The first round, in 2022, resulted in 21 licences awarded to 14 companies by September 2023.
RMRI notes that a storage licence does not create storage capacity. It gives the right to appraise a prospect. Appraisal work progressively establishes whether the geology can safely and permanently store CO2, generating the evidence that later informs monitoring plans and permitting decisions.
Ref: nstauthority.co.uk