OIL industry regulator the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has launched the 30th offshore licensing round which is again aimed at persuading companies to exploit more mature areas of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).
A total of 813 blocks or part-blocks are being offered – some of which have not been available since 1965, when the first gas was discovered in the North Sea.
They cover an area of 114,426sq km (44,180sq miles) in the Southern, Central and Northern North Sea, the west of Shetland and East Irish Sea and feature a range of prospects and undeveloped discoveries.
The round will feature the new Innovate Licence, developed by the OGA in collaboration with industry to create flexible, variable licences, which allow applicants to propose the durations of the initial and second terms covering the anticipated work lifespan from carrying out geotechnical studies, to seismic surveys and eventually to production of oil and gas.
To support companies in their technical assessments, the OGA has released around 140 datapacks on undeveloped discoveries which are included in the latest round offering.
Of these, around 60 contain what are described as “technical montages” which provide the discovery’s history, static and dynamic information and digital subsurface data.
In addition, regional geological maps covering the Central North Sea and Moray Firth were also made freely available last week, together with a number of supporting datasets and studies.
These can be accessed online via the Data Centre on OGA’s website, along with an updated set of relinquishment reports and geospatial data.
Andy Samuel, OGA chief executive, said: “The 30th licensing round offers companies a significant opportunity to rebuild their portfolios, taking advantage of the flexible Innovate Licence, technology and improvements to the UKCS fiscal regime.
“These factors combined mean now is a very good time to invest on the UKCS.
“We are encouraging companies to take a fresh look at large areas of acreage, some of which has not been available since 1965, and make best use of the recently released information and new data packs to inform their applications.”
The 30th round will remain open for 120 days until November 21 and decisions are expected to be made in the second quarter of next year.
Oil and Gas UK’s upstream policy director Mike Tholen added that the latest round could provide a boost for the UK economy: “Cost effective deployment of technology will be critical to the success of the round and we support the 30th Round Technology Forum which the OGA and the Oil and Gas Technology Centre are co-hosting on August 22 to help make a success of the licensing round. Given the improved efficiency and cost effectiveness of the UKCS, the 30th licensing round has all the ingredients to prove successful for the UKCS, and indeed for the UK economy.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here