Overview
Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA is the process of appraisal through which environmental protection and sustainable development may be considered, and factored into national and local decisions regarding Government and other plans and programmes such as oil and gas licensing rounds and other offshore energy developments, including renewables and gas and carbon dioxide storage. The SEA process and legislative context
The SEA process aims to help inform ministerial decisions through consideration of the environmental implications of the outcome of a proposed planprogramme. The Department for Energy Security Net Zero DESNZ formerly DTI, BERR, DECC and BEIS the department, as the principal environmental regulator of the offshore oil and gas industry, has taken a proactive stance on the use of SEA as a means of striking a balance between promoting economic development of the UKs offshore energy resources and effective environmental protection. Although the European Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive Directive 200142EC was not incorporated into UK law until 2004 The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004, and equivalent Regulations of the devolved administrations the SEA Regulations, SEAs have been carried out since 1999 in accordance with its requirements. The SEA Regulations set out the information to be included in the environmental report of the Strategic Environmental Assessment, namely
These effects should include secondary, cumulative, synergistic, short, medium and long term, permanent and temporary, positive and negative effects. The department undertook a sequence of oil and gas SEAs considering various areas of the UKCS SEA areas 1-8, in addition to an SEA for Round 2 wind leasing. The more recent offshore energy SEAs OESEA, OESEA2, OESEA3 and OESEA4 incorporated the entire UKCS with the exception of Northern Ireland and Scottish territorial waters for renewable energy, and Scottish territorial waters for carbon dioxide transport and storage, for technologies including oil and gas exploration and production, gas storage and offloading including carbon dioxide transport and storage, renewable energy including wind, wave and tidal power, and offshore hydrogen production and transport. A summary of the areas covered by previous SEAs, when they were undertaken and for which sectors, and an overview of each of the technologies covered by the latest offshore energy planprogramme is provided in the documents below. SEA Area Sectors covered Licensingleasing round
SEA1 The deep water area along the UK and Faroese boundary Oil Gas 19th Round 2001
SEA2 The central spine of the North Sea which contains the majority of existing UK oil and gas fields Oil Gas 20th Round 2002
SEA2 extension Outer Moray Firth Oil Gas 20th Round 2002
SEA3 The remaining parts of the southern North Sea Oil Gas 21st Round 2003
R2 Three strategic regions off the coasts of England and Wales in relation to a second round of offshore wind leasing Offshore wind Round 2 2003
SEA4 The offshore areas to the north and west of Shetland and Orkney Oil Gas 22nd Round 2004
SEA5 Parts of the northern and central North Sea to the east of the Scottish mainland, Orkney and Shetland Oil Gas 23rd Round 2005
SEA6 Parts of the Irish Sea Oil Gas 24th Round 2006
SEA7 The offshore areas to the west of Scotland Oil Gas 25th Round 2008
OESEA UK offshore waters and territorial waters of England and Wales Oil Gas, Offshore wind 26th RoundRound 3 2009
OESEA2 UK offshore waters and territorial waters of England and Wales Oil Gas, Offshore wind, wave and tidal, gas and carbon dioxide storage 27th Round 201128th Round 2014
OESEA3 UK offshore waters and territorial waters of England and Wales Oil Gas, Offshore wind, wave and tidal, gas and carbon dioxide storage 29th Round 2016Supplementary Round 201630th Round 201731st Round 201831st Supplementary Round 201932nd Round 2020
OESEA4 UK offshore waters and territorial waters of England and Wales Oil Gas, Offshore wind, wave and tidal, gas and carbon dioxide storage, hydrogen production
Previous offshore SEAs
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This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. As these SEAs have been carried out, the process has evolved and been improved. The evolution and refinement of the process will continue. A required part of SEA is consultation with the public, environmental authorities and other bodies, together with such neighbouring states as may be potentially affected. In conducting the SEA process, the Department is guided by the SEA Steering Group, composed of departmental representatives, conservation and other agencies, NGOs, industry representatives and independent experts. The diverse members role is to act as technical peers, guiding the selection of SEA methods and identifying the right information sources. Completed studies relating to earlier SEAs are located on the British Geological Survey BGS SEA archive. SEA Recommendations
A series of recommendations have been made in the previous offshore energy SEA Environmental Reports on SEA processes and conclusions, the natural and wider environment, and regulatory and other controls. A compilation of these recommendations and their current status whether closed, in progress or still open is available for download below.
Offshore Energy SEA Recommendations and their status
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This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Offshore Energy SEA the current SEA
The Department conducted a Strategic Environmental Assessment OESEA4 of a draft planprogramme to enable future renewable leasing for offshore wind, wave and tidal devices and licensingleasing for seaward oil and gas rounds, hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide gas storage and offshore hydrogen production and transport. The scope of the draft planprogramme and approach to SEA were subject to public consultation between 29 March and 7 May 2021. Public consultation on the OESEA4 Environmental Report took place between 17 March and 27 May 2022, and the planprogramme was adopted in September 2022. The renewable energy elements of the planprogramme cover parts of the UK Exclusive Economic Zone and the territorial waters of England and Wales the Scottish Renewable Energy Zone and Scottish and Northern Irish waters within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea limit are not included in this part for hydrocarbon gas and carbon dioxide storage it applies to the UK Exclusive Economic Zone and the territorial waters of England and Wales with the exception of the territorial waters of Scotland for carbon dioxide storage and for hydrocarbon exploration and production it applies to all UK waters. Following the adoption of the plan, and as with previous SEAs, the Department intend to maintain an active SEA research programme identifying information gaps some of which were outlined in the last set of SEA Recommendations, commissioning new research where appropriate, and promoting its wider dissemination through a series of research seminars. This has also involved continued engagement with the SEA Steering Group and review of the information base for the SEA, including the environmental baseline, other relevant plans and programmes, and policy and regulation. Offshore Energy SEA research programme
The department has maintained an active SEA research programme identifying information gaps some of which are outlined in previous SEA Recommendations and commissioning new research where appropriate. This has been part of the departments offshore SEA programme since 1999. A summary of recent research and its status is provided in the document below, and final reports where published are available for download. Completed studies relating to earlier SEAs are located on the British Geological Survey BGS SEA archive or the research page for OESEA2. Recent Offshore Energy SEA funded projects
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This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. The authors and researchers involved in SEA studies have been encouraged to submit papers for peer reviewed publication. A list of recent publications is given below. Recent Papers from DESNZ Offshore Energy SEA funded projects
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This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Appropriate Assessment
Following announcement of a Seaward Oil and Gas Licensing Round, an offshore Carbon Storage Licensing Round, or following receipt of applications for licences made to the North Sea Transition Authority NSTA, a screening assessment is undertaken by the department. The screening assessment determines whether the award of any of the Blockscarbon storage areas offered or applied for would be likely to lead to a significant effect on a relevant site, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects. Those sites and related Blockscarbon storage areas for which a potential for likely significant effect is identified at the screening stage are subject to further assessment Appropriate Assessment AA prior to the NSTA making a decision on whether to grant licences.
These assessments are undertaken to comply with obligations under the Offshore Petroleum Activities Conservation of Habitats Regulations 2001 as amended. The 33rd Seaward Licensing Round closed for applications on 12th January 2023. Applications were received covering 258 whole or part Blocks. It was concluded that further assessment AA was required for 96 Blocks that were applied for, of which the NSTA has been considering up to 72 Blocks for potential licence award. The assessments covering these Blocks have been documented in three draft regional reports covering areas of the Southern North Sea and Mid North Sea High, Central North Sea and West of Shetland, and Eastern Irish Sea, and were subject to public consultation. The reports were revised as appropriate in light of comments received during the public consultation which ended on 15th September 2023. The reports listed below document the further assessment undertaken in relation to Blockscarbon storage areas subject to Appropriate Assessment in the previous eleven Seaward Oil and Gas Licensing Rounds, and the 1st Carbon Storage Licensing Round. 25th seaward oil and gas licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
26th seaward oil and gas licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
27th seaward oil and gas licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
28th seaward oil and gas licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
29th seaward oil and gas licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
2016 Supplementary Licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
30th seaward oil and gas licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
31st seaward oil and gas licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
31st supplementary oil and gas licensing Round HRA screening pdf
32nd seaward oil and gas licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
33rd seaward oil and gas licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
1st carbon dioxide storage licensing Round Appropriate Assessment
MCZ and MPA Assessment
To satisfy the duties under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and the Marine Scotland Act 2010, a Marine Conservation Zone and Marine Protected Area assessment has been undertaken in relation to the 33rd Seaward Licensing Round which closed for applications on 12th January 2023 and the assessment is available below
33rd Seaward Oil and Gas Licensing Round MCZ MPA Assessment
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This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. The report listed below documents the further assessment undertaken in relation to carbon storage areas subject to MCZ MPA Assessment in the 1st Carbon Storage Licensing Round. 1st Offshore Carbon Dioxide Storage Licensing Round MCZ MPA Assessment
PDF, 3.68 MB, 52 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
How do you get involved? Consultation
The OESEA consultation process has been designed to be in keeping with the Cabinet Office guidance on Consultation Principles for engaging stakeholders when developing policy and legislation. The guidance does not have any statutory basis and therefore where there are mandatory consultation requirements set out in legislation, or other requirements which may affect a consultation such as confidentiality, these must be adhered to. The main elements of public and stakeholder consultation and input to the offshore energy SEA process are
Scoping
The objective of scoping is to identify the main issues of concern at an early stage so that they can be considered in appropriate detail in the SEA. Scoping also aids in the identification of information sources and data gaps that may need to be filled by studies or surveys to underpin the assessment. The SEA process includes a formal scoping step, the principal purposes of which are to
Stakeholder and other workshops
A number of workshops have been undertaken prior to each SEA. These have included expert assessment workshops, which bring together the expertise of the SEA Steering Group, the authors of underpinning technical reports, other users of the offshore area and the SEA team to bear on the assessment process for the particular SEA. Additionally, stakeholder workshops are held involving a wide variety of potential stakeholders, drawn from other government departments, local authorities, other industry bodies, academics and NGOs. The objectives of SEA stakeholder workshops are to provide stakeholders with updates on
Stakeholder input and a summary of issues raised in the meeting is used to inform the SEA process, and is document and included in an appendix to the environmental report. Formal consultation
The environmental report is published for formal public consultation. The publication of the environmental report is advertised in the popular press and specialist journals. Copies of the report are made available free of charge as electronic copies which can be requested via email or downloaded directly from gov.uk, and as paper versions provided by post, provided that it is reasonably practicable to do so. Comments are invited by post or email. Government Response
Following closure of the consultation period, the comments are given due consideration and a Government Response is then produced. The Government Response is published on the offshore SEA consultation webpage. A compilation of the consultation comments is also published verbatim according to the authors wishes on the offshore SEA consultation webpage. Adoption statement
Following publication of the post consultation report, a ministerial statement is made to confirm the outcome of the SEA process e.g.