United Kingdom Government notice concerning European Parliament and Council Directive 94/22/EC of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2001-07-24
Institutions: United Kingdom
Subjects: United Kingdom, energy site, exploitation of resources, hydrocarbon, mineral prospecting, patents licence

24.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 206/5

United Kingdom Government notice concerning European Parliament and Council Directive
94/22/EC of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the pros-
pection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons

(2001/C 206/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

THE PETROLEUM (PRODUCTION) (SEAWARDED AREAS) REGULATIONS 1988

1. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry invites
interested persons,
in accordance with the Petroleum
(Production) (Seaward Areas) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1988
No 1213), as amended ((cid:145)the 1988 Regulations(cid:146)), and the
Hydrocarbons Licensing Directive Regulations 1995 (S.I.
1995 No 1434),
to apply for Petroleum Production
in respect of Blocks 43/21(a), 42/25(a) and
Licences
30/24. A map which shows the blocks available for
applications has been deposited at
the
Department of Trade and Industry, 1 Victoria Street,
London, SW1H 0ET. This map may be inspected by prior
(44-207)
appointment
(44-207) 215 50 06 or
215 50 07,
fax (44-207) 215 56 65) between 9.15 and
16.45 Monday to Friday until 31 October 2001. The
map is also available on the DTI’s Oil and Gas website:
http://www/og.dti.gov.uk

the library at

(Tel.

2. Any licence awarded in respect of Blocks 43/21(a),
42/25(a) and 30/24 will incorporate in substance, subject
to certain modifications and additional provisions to deal
with matters referred to below, the model clauses set out in
(Seawarded
Schedule 4 to the Petroleum (Production)
Areas) Regulation 1988 (as amended) except
the
that
amendment to model clauses set out in paragraphs (a)(ii)
and (c) to (h) of Regulation 8 of the Petroleum (Production)
(Seawarded Areas) (Amendment) Regulations 1996 will not
apply.

APPLICATIONS FOR LICENCES

3. In respect of the blocks referred to in point 1:

(a) applications

should

on the

standard
be made
application form available from the Department of
the application form
Trade and Industry; copies of
and all other documents referred to in the text of
this notice as being available from the Department of
Trade and Industry may be obtained from the Licensing
Branch, Oil and Gas Directorate, Department of Trade
and Industry, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET
fax
(Tel.
(44-207) 215 51 11 or (44-207) 215 50 32,
(44-207) 215 51 42). This documentation is
also
available on the DTI’s Oil and Gas web site;

received between 14.00 and 16.30 on 31 October
2001. No applications will be accepted after 16.30
on that date;

(c) applicants are requested to indicate if they have any
preferences beween the blocks they have applied for;

(d) applicants are required to provide details of the work
programme for the initial term which they intend to
carry out if awarded a licence (see point 9);

(e) applicants who are

also proposed operators

are
required to submit a statement of their general environ-
mental policy for the conduct of licensed activities in
seawarded areas;

(f)

further guidance on the material with which applicants
may support their applications is given in notes for
applicants, available from the Department of Trade
and Industry;

(g) unless otherwise stated in the notes for applicants,
material supplied in support of applications will be
such material will not be
treated in confidence;
disclosed to third parties without
the agreement of
the applicant, unless it
is disclosed in accordance
with the terms of any licence awarded subsequent to
this application, or already in the public domain or
disclosure is required by law.

4. Applications will be judged against the background of the
continuing need for expeditious, thorough, efficient and
safe exploration to identify oil and gas resources of the
United Kingdom continental shelf, with due regard to
environmental considerations. Applications will be judged
on the basis of the following criteria:

(b) applications should be delivered to the Oil and Gas
Directorate of the Department of Trade and Industry,
1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET, together with a
fee of GBP 2 820 per application. Applications will be

(a) the financial capability of the applicant to carry out the
activities that would be permitted during the initial
term of any licences or licences awarded including
the work progamme submitted for evaluating the full
potential of
the area within the relevant block or
blocks;

C 206/6

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

24.7.2001

(b) the technical capability of the applicant to carry out
the activities that would be permitted during the initial
identification of hydrocarbon
term including the
prospects within the
relevant block or blocks.
Technical capability will be assessed in part upon the
quality of geological analysis related to the block or
blocks, (taking into account whether work done was
innovative);

(c)

the way in which the applicant proposes to carry out
the activities that would be permitted during the initial
term including the quality of
the work programme
submitted for evaluating the full potential of the area
applied for. The duration of the initial term of the
licence may be varied according to the nature of the
proposals for work submitted by applicants and agreed
by the Secretary of State;

(d) where the applicant holds or has held a licence of any
description under the Petroleum Act 1998 or previous
legislation having similar effect, any lack of efficiency
in
and responsibility displayed by the
operations under that licence.

applicant

Secretary of State
applicant;

following discussion with the

(b) remits

to the Secretary of State the appropriate
consideration referred to in paragraph 11(a) below for
the licence; and

(c) confirms in writing his acceptance of any special
conditions with which he has been asked to comply.

LICENCE TERM AND CONSIDERATION PAYABLE

9. Subject as below, licences issued in respect of the blocks
referred to in paragraph 1 will have an initial term of six
years with an option to extend for a second term of 12
years. This second term may be extended beyond 12 years
for a further period of 18 years. As indicated in point 4(c),
the duration of the initial term of the licence may be
varied according to the nature of the proposals for work
submitted by applicants and agreed by the Secretary of
State.

to acceptance by the applicant of

5. Applicants should note that while authorities representing
conservation interests and the interests of other sea users
have confirmed that there are no factors for which they
have responsibility which preclude the offer for licensing of
Blocks 43/21(a), 42/25(a) and 30/24 licence awards may be
terms or
subject
conditions designed to protect such interests. Information
indicative conditions which may be attached to
about
specific blocks
interests may be
obtained from the Department of Trade and Industry.
Details of conditions to be attached to licences additional
to those imposed by the Model Clauses set out in the 1988
Regulations will accompany the letter offer the award of a
licence. Such conditions will also be incorporated into the
main body of the licence.

to protect particular

6. Following examination of all applications in respect of the
blocks referred to in paragraph 1, the Secretary of State
will select the applicants to whom he is prepared to award
licences. Applicants to whom the Secretary of State is
prepared to award a licence will be notified no later than
one year after the receipt of applications.

the initial

term. The licencee will

10. The option to continue the licence into the second term
may be exercised by the licensee giving notice in writing to
this effect not less than three months before the expiration
of
in exercising this
operation be required to surrender part of the licensed
area except where the area consists of
less than 30
sections (a (cid:145)section(cid:146) being defined as part of a block
lines of
comprising
an area bounded by minute
longitude and latitude one minute apart
respectively).
Where a part is required to be surrendered, it should be
calculated as follows:

(i) if the area originally comprised in the licence consisted
of sixty or more sections, the part to be surrendered
the number of such
should be not
sections; or

less than half

(ii) if the area originally comprised in the licence consisted
of more than thirty but fewer than sixty sections, the
part to be surrendered should be such number as will
leave a continuing part consisting of thirty sections;

7. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. An
applicant will be notified of the reasons for the Secretary
of State’s decision if he submits a written request for this
information to be provided.

Any area to be surrendered must comply with model
clause 8 in Schedule 4 to the 1988 Regulations as it
to the amendments made to it by the
stood prior
Petroleum (Production)
(Amendment)
Regulations 1996 and must be described in the said notice.

(Seawarded Areas)

8. In all cases where the Secretary of State is prepared to
award a licence, it will be offered on the condition that,
within 28 days of the date on which the Secretary of State
makes the offer, the applicant:

11. The consideration required in respect of the production
in

this invitation will

licences granted as as result of
summary be:

(a) confirms in writing his acceptance of all the terms of
the licence and a work programme proposed by the

(a) an initial payment, at the time the offer of a licence is
accepted, of GBP 410 for each square kilometre
comprised in the licensed area;

24.7.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 206/7

the date of commencement of

(b) subsequent annual payments commencing on the sixth
anniversary of
the
licence of term (following exercise of the option to
hold the licence for a second term) when the sum of
GBP 470 will be payable for each square kilometre in
the area to which the licence then relates and rising by
annual increments of GBP 470 until an annual sum of
GBP 7 050 is payable for each square kilometre
comprised in the licence area, subject
to biennial
review in line with movements in the Index of the
Price of Crude Oil acquired by Refineries (published
in the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics) if
the Secretary of State so determines. The Secretary of
State will not make a beinnial determination increasing

lower

than that

or decreasing the annual payments due unless the
in the payment set being
determination will result
set by the
over 5 % higher or
the first
previous determination, or in the case of
than
biennial
GBP 7 050 for each square kilometre. Further details
concerning the payments due are available from the
Department of Trade and Industry. The map is also
available
and Gas website,
http://www.og.dti.gov.uk

on the DTI’s Oil

determination,

5 % higher

over

(c) a royalty at the rate of 12,5 % payable in respect of
petroleum won and saved from any field part of which
received development consent prior to 1 April 1982.

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.2466 (cid:151) Sodexho/Abela (II))

(2001/C 206/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 8 June 2001 the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it
compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EEC)
No 4064/89. The full text of the decision is only available in English and will be made public after it is
cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

(cid:151) as a paper version through the sales offices of the Office for Official Publications of the European

Communities (see list on the last page),

(cid:151) in electronic form in the (cid:145)CEN(cid:146) version of the CELEX database, under document No 301M2466. CELEX

is the computerised documentation system of European Community law.

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