Supplying UK gas
Find out more about natural gas, and how Shell UK is helping to supply the crucial energy the UK needs today.
In 2024, 78.2% of Shell’s global investments included oil & gas, 11.37% included low-carbon energy solutions and 10.43% non-energy products. Shell’s target is to become a net-zero emissions (NZE) energy business by 2050. Disclaimers, including NZE target: shell.com/disclaimer
In the UK, as the country moves towards its target of net-zero emissions by 2050, Shell UK aims to play a leading role in securing vital energy for today, while investing in, and helping to build, the energy system of the future.
Shell UK helps supply more than 20% of the UK’s gas.
How does the UK use natural gas?
Hand-in-hand with the growth in low- and zero-carbon energy, North Sea gas will continue to play a critically important role in the energy transition and meeting the UK’s energy demand.
Source: Offshore Energies UK Business Outlook, 2025
73%
Percentage of UK homes heated by gas
30%
Percentage gas contributes to UK’s power supply
90%
Percentage of gas the UK is projected to import in 2050
Getting gas from the North Sea to UK homes and businesses
North Sea gas operations
Extraction, processing and distribution
After being extracted and initially processed offshore on operations like Penguins, Shearwater and Pierce, gas from the Northern and Central North Sea is piped to our gas plant at St. Fergus near Peterhead in Scotland, and gas from the Southern North Sea at Bacton near Norfolk, England. Gas from our Victory field in the North Sea West of Shetland is processed onshore at the Shetland Gas Plant before being piped to the UK mainland at St Fergus.
At these gas plants, the gas is processed before being transported into the UK’snational gas network, where it travels through a vast network of pipes which run beneath the ground to get to where it needs to go – including UK homes and businesses.
We also operate the Fife Natural Gas Liquids Plant (FNGL) and the Braefoot Bay Marine Terminal in Mossmorran, Scotland. The NGLs are received at the plant via a 220km underground pipeline from the St Fergus gas plant and separated into ethane, propane, butane and gasoline.
Shell UK is also a shareholder in the Dragon Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in Wales, which provides a critical link between the UK and overseas gas suppliers, bringing in LNG from 19 countries.
Gas from Norway
Gas from the deep-water Ormen Lange project 120 kilometres (75 miles) off the coast of Norway also contributes towards the UK’s gas needs. We pipe it to a processing plant on land at Nyhamna in Norway. Once impurities are removed from the gas, it is piped to the UK through one of the world’s longest subsea pipelines.
Shell UK’s projects in development
We are moving forward with Jackdaw, which could represent more than 6% of projected UK North Sea gas production.
Building skills for the energy transition
Shell UK is investing in people and communities to help build the skills the UK needs for the energy transition.
Helping power the UK now, and into the future
From providing access to electric vehicle (EV) chargers, to helping supply UK gas, to building skills for the energy transition. Learn how Shell UK is helping power the UK now, and into the future.
Shell's target is to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.
Shell’s climate target
Tackling climate change is an urgent challenge. That’s why Shell’s target is to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050. This means net-zero carbon emissions from our operations. It also means net-zero carbon emissions from the energy products we sell, including those produced by others, which currently account for over 90% of the total emissions we report.
Shell are investing $10-15 billion on low-carbon energy solutions between 2023 and the end of 2025. Shell are also investing in oil and gas production with lower emissions as we provide energy today while helping to build the low-carbon energy system of the future.
Frequently asked questions
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