A new report from Project Anemone examines how offshore wind, carbon storage and oil and gas infrastructure can operate alongside each other in the increasingly busy seas around Scotland.

The study highlights growing spatial pressure in Scotland’s offshore waters, where multiple energy activities are expanding simultaneously. Offshore wind capacity continues to grow, carbon capture and storage (CCUS) is emerging as a new industry, while existing oil and gas infrastructure remains in place across the North Sea.

Against this backdrop, Project Anemone was developed as an enabling initiative to assess the opportunities and challenges of “co-location” between the three sectors. The project was commissioned by The Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland.

Industry engagement and coordination challenges

The report is based on interviews and workshops with a wide range of public and private sector stakeholders. It explores how decisions are made, when information is shared, and where coordination processes could be improved to support more efficient use of offshore space.

According to the findings, developers across all three sectors generally believe that co-location is feasible. However, the report also highlights key barriers, including technical constraints and limited awareness of other sectors’ requirements.

The study concludes that earlier identification of potential interactions, clearer information flows, and more timely engagement between stakeholders could significantly improve coexistence between offshore activities.

Ten proposed solutions for better alignment

The final Project Anemone report brings together its findings and outlines 10 potential solutions proposed by developers to improve clarity and coordination across sectors. These measures are intended to support more structured planning in shared offshore environments.

The project also draws attention to the importance of improving data sharing and aligning regulatory processes to reduce friction between industries operating in the same maritime space.

Next steps for Scotland’s offshore planning

Building on the findings, Crown Estate Scotland said it is exploring how to integrate the recommendations into ongoing policy and coordination efforts.

This includes continued collaboration with government bodies, regulators, trade associations and seabed managers through the Offshore Wind and CCUS Co-Location Forum. The aim is to coordinate strategic research and address sector-specific needs, including future enabling projects.

Further work will also focus on aligning data reporting requirements with regulators and consenting bodies, streamlining data sharing across platforms in line with commitments involving the North Sea Transition Authority and The Crown Estate.

Additional initiatives include expanding early-stage proximity checks to improve cross-sector engagement during pre-development phases, as well as introducing consistent legal clauses in property rights agreements to ensure a more unified approach to co-location.

A shared offshore future

The report concludes that while technical challenges remain, co-location represents a viable pathway for managing increasing competition for offshore space. It emphasises that better coordination, earlier planning and improved sector awareness will be key to enabling offshore wind, carbon storage and oil and gas infrastructure to coexist more effectively in Scotland’s marine environment.