Onshore conventional oil and gas: policy position

Background

We are transitioning to a net zero emissions Scotland for the benefit of our environment, our people, and our prosperity, with Scotland’s ambitious climate change legislation setting a target date for net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases by 2045. This means that our contribution to climate change will end, definitively, within one generation.

In line with this commitment, our Programme for Government 2021 to 2022  stated that: "unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is incompatible with our climate obligations and meeting the aims of the Paris Agreement"; it is more important than ever that we move towards this goal at pace, and continue to put words into actions.

Powers over onshore oil and gas licensing were devolved to Scottish Ministers in February 2018. Scottish Ministers are therefore the licensing authority for the two Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences (PEDLs) currently held in Scotland. There is currently no onshore oil and gas production in Scotland.

Position on onshore conventional oil and gas in Scotland

We have undertaken a full policy development process in order to reach a finalised position on onshore conventional oil and gas in Scotland, in line with statutory requirements. The first step in this process was the launch of a call for evidence which ran from 21 June to 2 August 2022, which invited stakeholders’ views and expanded our evidence base in this policy area.

The call for evidence set onshore conventional oil and gas in its wider context of our statutory emissions targets and just transition, and highlighted our work to date in relevant policy areas, including energy security, climate change, and just transition.

The responses to the call for evidence, and the independent analysis report, are both publicly available. Having considered stakeholders’ views and the evidence received alongside wider Scottish Government energy and climate change policies, our preferred policy position of no support for onshore conventional oil and gas development in Scotland was confirmed in January 2023. This means the development connected to the onshore exploration, appraisal or production of petroleum, or crude oil, and raw natural gas from the ground by conventional means and methods.

In October 2019, Scottish Ministers announced their finalised position of no support for unconventional oil and gas. This means development connected to the onshore exploration, appraisal or production of coal bed methane or shale oil or shale gas using unconventional oil and gas extraction techniques, including hydraulic fracturing and dewatering for coal bed methane. As unconventional oil and gas policy is finalised, this position remains unchanged.

National planning policy

Our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) signals a turning point for planning. NPF4 policy 1 makes clear that significant weight will be given to the global climate and nature crises when considering all development proposals, and Policy 33 sets out a policy of no support for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels, other than in exceptional circumstances aligned with national policy on energy (including the policy position on onshore conventional oil and gas once finalised) and climate. NPF4 was approved by the Scottish Parliament on 11 January 2023, and adopted on 13 February 2023, and will form part of the statutory development plan.

We recognise that applications for planning and other necessary consents may be made by PEDL holders. Any such application will require to be determined by the relevant authorities, or decision-makers, according to the law and policy in force at the relevant time. As a matter of law, all planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Should a planning authority receive a planning application for onshore conventional oil and gas development, and again should the authority subsequently propose to grant planning permission, the authority is required to notify the Scottish Ministers, who can consider whether to call the application in for their own determination.

Policy finalisation process and implementation

The preferred policy position was subject to statutory and other assessments before the policy-making process was completed, including in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, and our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

Our NPF4 makes clear that significant weight will be given to the global climate and nature crises when considering all development proposals.  NPF4 Policy 33 sets out a policy of no support for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels, other than in exceptional circumstances aligned with national policy on energy and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This includes our policy position on onshore conventional oil and gas. 

Following this comprehensive policymaking process, the Scottish Government’s finalised policy position is of no support for onshore conventional oil and gas in Scotland.

Further information

You can find a previous version of our preferred policy position in our archive.