Today the Executive endorsed Economy Minister Conor Murphy's
proposal to ban onshore oil and gas exploration and production in
the north.
Minister Murphy said: “Following today's meeting of the
Executive, I am pleased to announce a ban on all forms of onshore
petroleum exploration and production – including fracking. I
welcome the Executive's collective commitment to tackling our
ongoing dependence on fossil fuels.
“Reaching our net zero target by 2050 is both a legal
requirement and a moral obligation which is why decarbonisation
is central to my economic plans. I have listened to what the
citizens across the north have had to say on this issue through
the public consultation earlier this year and they overwhelmingly
supported my proposal to ban onshore petroleum exploration and
production.
“This action today takes us a step closer to ending our
over reliance on fossil fuels which are at the mercy of unstable
global commodity prices. It will help my department focus all its
efforts on supporting the development and generation of renewable
energy. Today's announcement also brings us into line with other
jurisdictions like the south of Ireland and Wales.
“I will introduce legislation to the Assembly to ban
onshore petroleum licensing. This will require
amendments to the Petroleum (Production) Act (Northern Ireland)
1964 and other regulations.”
The Minister concluded: “The time involved in drafting
and consulting on the legislation as well as allowing for
committee scrutiny means that the legislation will be introduced
in late 2025. In the meantime, my department will not accept or
process onshore petroleum licensing applications.”
Notes to editors:
1. The Department for the Economy has the power to grant licences
“to explore for, bore for and get” onshore petroleum in Northern
Ireland. This power was granted by the Petroleum (Production) Act
(Northern Ireland) 1964 and has been supplemented by further
legislation since then.
2. There are currently no active petroleum licences in Northern
Ireland with the last active one relinquished in 2020.
3. There was a public consultation on onshore petroleum licensing
from 15 January to 12 April 2024. Details of the consultation can
be found on the DfE website at: www.economy-ni.gov.uk/topics/minerals-and-petroleum/minerals-and-petroleum-legislation-policy-and-statutory-rules
