19.1.2010   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 12/32

1.

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change invites interested persons to apply for Seaward Production Licences in respect of certain acreage on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.

2.

This invitation is in respect of those blocks and parts of blocks that are shown on maps deposited at the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), where they can be viewed by prior appointment (tel. +44 3000686042) between 9.15 and 16.45, Monday to Friday during the period of this notice.

3.

Full details of the offer, including lists and maps of the acreage on offer and guidance about licences, the terms which those licences will include, and how to apply, are available on the Energy Development Unit (EDU) website (see below).

4.

All applications will be judged in accordance with the terms of the Hydrocarbons Licensing Directive Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995 No 1434) and against a background of the continuing need for expeditious, thorough, efficient and safe exploration to identify the United Kingdom’s oil and gas resources with due regard to environmental considerations.

5.

Applications for Traditional and Frontier Licences (both for areas West of Scotland and elsewhere) will be judged on the basis of the following criteria:

6.

The proposed operator within each applicant group (including any company that is the sole applicant) must submit a statement of its general environmental policy for the conduct of licensed activities in seaward areas.

7.

For Traditional and Frontier applications the Secretary of State will not award a licence unless he is prepared to approve the applicant's choice of operator at the same time. Before approving an operator, the Secretary of State must be satisfied that the nominee will be competent to plan and manage drilling operations, in terms of the numbers, experience and training of its staff, the proposed procedures and methodologies, the design of its command structure, interfaces with contractors and overall corporate strategy. In considering a proposed operator, the Secretary of State will take into account both new information presented in the application and the nominee's record as an operator, both within the UK and abroad.

8.

Applications will be judged on the basis of the following criteria:

9.

Promote Licences will expire after two years if the Licensee has not satisfied DECC of its technical and financial capacity to complete the Initial Term Work Programme which will include a firm commitment at that time to the drilling of at least one well, or to conduct an equivalent agreed substantive activity. The Initial Term Work Programme must be carried out within four years.

10.

Further guidance detailing the above which accompany this offer can be viewed on the Energy Development Unit (EDU) website: http://www.og.decc.gov.uk/

11.

Unless an environmental assessment in relation to a particular Block is required (see paragraph 14 below), where the Secretary of State offers a licence pursuant to this invitation, such offer will be made within 12 months of the date of this notice.

12.

The Secretary of State accepts no liability for any costs incurred by the applicant in considering or making its application.

13.

The Secretary of State has conducted a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) pursuant to Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment of all of the areas to be offered in this Round. The findings of that SEA can be found at DECC’s offshore energy SEA website: http://www.offshore-sea.org.uk/consultations/Offshore_Energy_SEA/index.php

14.

Licences pursuant to this invitation will only be offered if (a) the activities to be carried out under the licence are not likely to have a significant effect on the management of a Special Conservation Area or Special Protection Area; or (b) an appropriate assessment under the Habitats Directive has ascertained that the activities will have no adverse effects on such SACs or SPAs; or (c) where the activities are assessed as likely to cause such adverse effects, subject to (i) there being imperative reasons of overriding public interest for awarding the licence; (ii) the taking of appropriate compensatory measures; and (iii) there being no alternative solutions.

15.

Licence Administration: Energy Development Unit (EDU), Department for Energy and Climate Change, 3 Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2AW, UNITED KINGDOM (tel. +44 3000686042, fax +44 3000685129).