Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer advises NEP on historic lease with The Crown Estate for offshore CO₂ storage

Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has advised the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP) on the grant of the UK’s first commercial scale lease of the seabed for permanent offshore CO₂ storage and associated pipeline infrastructure with The Crown Estate.

The lease unlocks installation of offshore infrastructure for the Endurance carbon store; a saline aquifer located approximately 140 kilometres off the northeast coast of England in the southern North Sea and marks the transition of the project into its construction phase.

NEP’s Endurance reservoir, together with nearby reservoirs, will be able to accommodate up to one billion tonnes of CO₂, allowing the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries and underpinning the UK’s wider clean growth agenda. The scheme is set to deliver meaningful economic benefits and skilled employment, with more than £1 billion of UK subcontracts awarded through competitive tendering to date and £1 million directed to local skills initiatives, reinforcing the UK’s trajectory as a leading Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) market.

The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer team was led by partner Kathryn Coveney, supported by senior associate Catherine Lusher and associate Lachlan Taylor.

Partner Kathryn Coveney commented: "The grant of the seabed lease is a watershed moment for carbon capture and storage in the UK. We are proud to have supported NEP on this milestone deal which underscores our deep sector insight and experience advising clients across every stage of the energy transition."

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has a longstanding track record advising on market-defining energy transition and infrastructure mandates in the UK and internationally. The firm recently advised on the closing of the project financings for the Northern Endurance Partnership Project and the Net Zero Teesside Power Project, reflecting the firm’s cross-practice offering across the full lifecycle of energy transition projects, from development through to delivery.