The UK government is offering 1,766 frontier blocks covering 370,000 sq km in its 31st Offshore Licensing Round and allowing operators to propose additional blocks in more-mature areas.
Areas include West of Scotland, East Shetland Platform, Mid North Sea High, South West Britain, and parts of the English Channel.
Before launching the round, the Oil and Gas Authority published more than 80,000 km of seismic data acquired over areas on offer during 2015-16.
Applications for the offered blocks are due by Nov. 7, 2018. Nominations for additional blocks are due by July 18 and must include plans for “substantial” work programs.
OGA hopes to decide on block awards “as early as possible in the first half of 2019.”
In May, it awarded 123 licenses for 229 blocks in mature offshore areas to 61 companies in the 30th round (OGJ Online, May 24, 2018). It plans to launch the 32nd round, focusing on mature offshore areas, in summer 2019.
