On 20th February 2008, the Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) invited applications for Licences in the 25th Seaward Licensing Round. Applications for Traditional and Frontier Seaward Licences will be accepted on Wednesday 21st May 2008 (between 0900 and 14.00 hrs) and Promote Licences will be accepted on Thursday 22nd May 2008 (between 09.00 and 14.00 hrs). Below is a list of links to: a Press Notice that includes a statement by Malcolm Wicks, the Minister for Energy; the official invitation in the Official Journal of the European Union; the Application Form; Guidance to Applicants; an indicative guide to some of the other regulatory issues that will apply to successful applicants; a list of discoveries in the seaward acreage being offered; and the Strategic Environmental Assessment that has been carried out by BERR.

A Questions and Answers link is provided below (Bullet 1) which will be kept updated with further guidance that BERR issues in response to enquiries during the Round.

BERR: Oil and Gas - 25th Licensing Round

Changes from previous Rounds

New model clauses

BERR has introduced a new set of model clauses for the 25th Round. There is a description of the effect elsewhere on this site.

Frontier terms

In recognition of the paucity of available data west of the Shetlands and the difficulties in acquiring new data there, the 75% mandatory relinquishment on a Frontier Licence now occurs after three years instead of two, so the exploration phase now has a 3+3 instead of a 2+4 pattern.

Viability checks

All companies who are part of an application must provide their most recent accounts. This is the first time that Promote applicants have been required to provide financial information.

Number of applications

This is not a subject where we have changed anything, but in recent rounds we have noticed that many companies have made more separate applications, and so have paid higher fees, than they needed to. Fees are non-refundable, so we recommend that applicants should read the section “The Applicant” in the guidance note, where the rules are set out.

1. Questions and Answers
2. Press Notice
3. Invitation to apply in the Official Journal of the European Union
4. Guidance
5. Application Form
6. Application Form - Appendix A
7. Application Form - Appendix D
8. Other Regulatory Guidance
9. List of Seaward Blocks on Offer
10. Types of Licences on offer in each of the respective SEA areas
11. Maps of seaward acreage on offer
• West of Shetland Region
• Northern North Sea
• Central North Sea
• Southern North Sea
• Irish Sea and Morecambe Bay
• West of the Hebrides Region
12. Strategic Environmental Assessment
13. Discoveries and COP Fields in Open Acreage



14. Prospects and Recent Relinquishment Leads



15. Crown Estates has issued Wind Farm Leases over some areas of the UKCS and, depending on the outcome of a strategic environmental assessment, is likely to issue further Leases in the near future. There is a map showing these areas on the link below, and the blocks that may be affected are marked in the document behind the "Other Regulatory issues" link above. That document also offers guidance on BERR's view of the relationship between the holders of Petroleum Act Licences and Wind Farm leases where they overlap.



16. Map of Wind Farm Lease Areas.


Some areas of UK controlled waters may be designated as Special Areas of Conservation Habitats. There is a map showing these areas, and a contact point for further information, in the link below.


17. Proposed offshore Special Areas of Conservation
18. Information provided by MOD
19. Information on Levels of Shipping Activity
20. Statement to the House of Commons

First point of contact on the 25th Seaward Round:

Jen Brzozowska
tel: 020 7215 5138
email: jen.brzozowska@dti.gsi.gov.uk

or alternatively:

Ricki Kiff
tel: 020 7215 5032
email: ricki.kiff@dti.gsi.gov.uk