U.K. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has awarded 114 exploration blocks, mainly in frontier areas northwest of Britain, under its 17th offshore licensing round.
The blocks were grouped into 25 tranches, shared among 14 operators and a total of 22 license partners. Fourteen tranches are west of the Hebrides, seven are north of Shetland, and four are in the North Sea (see table).
DTI offered 275 blocks to companies, grouped into 68 tranches or license areas, in November 1995.
Most were in the Rockall Trough or near the Shetland Islands (OGJ, Dec. 18, 1995, p. 32).
Environmental pressure group Greenpeace, which recently applied to operate all 275 blocks as a marine life study area, had its bid rejected (OGJ, Mar. 31, 1997, p. 35).
Greenpeace bid rejected
"One organization," said DTI, "applied to undertake work that does not require a petroleum production license. This does not represent a valid application, and its application fee is being returned."
Greenpeace repeated its accusation that DTI has acted unlawfully, under European Union legislation, in issuing the licenses (OGJ, Apr. 7, 1997, Newsletter).
Chris Rose, deputy executive director of Greenpeace, said: "Developing more oil is not in the national or the global interest. It is appalling that the minister has sneaked this through while Parliament isn't sitting, and there is no proper opportunity for public debate.
"The DTI should be brought under control. It is engineering an Atlantic oil rush that threatens the climate and torpedoes the government's green claims at the climate convention."
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