New polling: 75% of Scots back North Sea production ahead of political showdown
Three-quarters of Scottish people back domestic North Sea production according to new polling ahead of a political showdown in Aberdeen tonight.
licensing
UK Government to mandate annual North Sea oil and gas licences
The UK Government plans to award North Sea oil and gas licences every year in new legislation being announced this week.
Scottish energy secretary hits out at UK Government ‘lack of focus’ on just transition
Scottish Energy Secretary Neil Gray has responded to the UK Government’s North Sea and CCUS announcements.
Graham Stuart: Building on North Sea legacy is critical to UK’s energy future
UK energy minister Graham Stuart discusses the government's CCUS investment and its decision to back further North Sea licences
Labour to manage existing North Sea fields ‘for entirety of lifespan’
Ambiguity has been highlighted once again over Labour plans for North Sea energy policy.
Does the UK need more North Sea licensing? We ask the regulator
The question of whether the UK needs more oil and gas licensing in the North Sea is one which has been on the minds of industry and policymakers.
Scottish energy minister lambasts ‘tone deaf’ Labour North Sea policy
At an Energy Voice event today, Gillian Martin struck out at Labour's stance on no new North Sea oil and gas licensing as being "too simplistic".
Unite, UK’s largest offshore union, hits out at Labour over North Sea plans
“Grabbing the headlines is easy, developing a serious plan for more renewable energy is not."
Labour’s North Sea plan poses ‘clear and present danger’ to energy security
Meanwhile, on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, David Whitehouse, CEO of OEUK, said the plan risks “importing the energy transition”.
New licensing will ‘keep up the momentum’ for North Sea: Energy Minister
New North Sea licensing this year is part of the UK Government’s “ongoing” commitment to the sector, the energy minister has said.
Change to North Sea licensing regime ‘long overdue’
News that the UK government is pondering a North Sea exploration ban has been met with howls of protest – mostly from those who’ve talked a good energy transition but haven’t done very much about it. But re-focusing the sector via progressive change to the licensing regime isn’t “virtue signaling”, as one industry insider put it. It’s downright essential - and long overdue.
Malaysia’s Petronas hopes to lure investors to marginal fields with new scheme
Petronas MPM has officially introduced Malaysia’s Small Fields Asset (SFA) production-sharing contract framework as part of an effort to revive its domestic upstream sector and lure new money.
OGA says 159 onshore blocks offered in 14th Onshore Oil and Gas licensing round
Industry regulator the OGA (Oil and Gas Authority) said 159 onshore blocks under the 14th Onshore Oil and Gas licensing round have been formally offered to successful applicants. The blocks will be incorporated into 93 onshore licences.
Mexico should add greater transparency to its offshore bidding process
The Mexican Government should add further transparency to the process of its offshore bidding rounds as they approach the deepwater phase, according to new analysis. Consulting firm GlobalData said the step should be taken after the government received higher than expected bids in the most recent round. Earlier this year Mexico opened its energy market up to investors for the first time in more than 70 years.
Egdon Resources offered new blocks in licensing round
Egdon Resources has been offered a total of seven blocks or part blocks in the first tranche of the 14th onshore oil and gas licensing round. More than two dozen new areas in northern England and the Midlands could face fracking after new licences were awarded for oil and gas exploration. Egdon said the blocks up for grabs were in the East Midlands petroleum province and could expand the company’s acreage and opportunity base within one of its core areas of activity.
IGas offered licences in latest onshore round
IGas said it has been offered six new licences in the first group of licences awarded in the UK’s 14th onshore oil and gas licensing round. The company said the licences are located in the Gainsborough Trough in the East Midnlands and include exploration prospects for both shale gas and conventional oil and gas. IGas already operate 80 sites in the area with many having been in production for more than 20 years.
Brazil sees $870 million in exploration spending from auction
Oil companies are expected to invest about 2.8 billion reais ($870 million) to complete minimum exploration work at concessions Brazil plans to auction in October, according to the country’s oil regulator. Signing bonuses for the offshore and onshore blocks should reach 979 million reais, Marcelo Castilho, the bidding superintendent at Brazil’s oil regulator, known as ANP, said Thursday at a seminar in Rio de Janeiro.
Pemex to miss first round of Mexico oil tender
Mexican state-owned energy giant Pemex will not be participating in round one of the country’s historic energy opening. The move was revealed by Mexican energy minister Pedro Joaquin Coldwell. The initial tenders are part of an opening which is aimed at helping to bring more private investment into the country’s oil and gas sector.
Mozambique delays fifth oil and gas bid round
Mozambique's fifth oil and gas bid round has been delayed from its April 30th deadline. The government did say why the deadline had been extended to a later date of July 30th. There are 15 exploration blocks on offer, including three new areas of the northern Rovuma Basin.
Rockhopper awarded stake in Croatian block
Rockhopper Exploration has been awarded a 40% share in an offshore block in Croatia in a partnership deal with Eni. Block 9 is located in shallow waters of the Northern Adriatic gas province and contains the previously discovered Ksenija accumulation along with the Klaudija prospect. The company said the anticipated work programme consists of seismic acquisition, processing and re-processing during the first exploration phase, with the drilling of a well in the second exploration phase.