The UK government is offering 14 offshore blocks for licensing in a supplementary round following the closing last month of its 29th licensing round (OGJ Online, Nov. 2, 2016).
Operators have until Mar. 7 to apply for licenses at the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA).
Supplemental-round blocks lie outside areas covered by the 29th round. Block locations vary, ranging from the southern North Sea to the East of Shetland area.
The supplemental round uses the “innovate license” approach introduced in the 29th round. The concept enhances work-program flexibility for UK Continental Shelf exploration and production licenses, which are issued separately.
OGA Chief Executive Andy Samuel called the supplemental round “an important part of our approach to facilitate exploration across the whole of the UKCS.”
In the 29th round, 24 companies filed 29 applications for 113 blocks.
