§ Mr. FearnTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) in which sectors of the United Kingdom's offshore waters exploration for oil and gas is currently taking place; [47694]
(2) how many (a) United Kingdom and (b) non-United Kingdom operators are currently exploring for oil and gas in United Kingdom offshore waters; [47698]
(3) how many (a) United Kingdom and (b) non-United Kingdom operators produce oil or gas from United Kingdom offshore waters. [47697]
§ Mr. BattleDetails of areas currently under Petroleum production licence are published in Volume II of the annual Energy Report (the 'Brown Book'), which is138W available in the Library of both Houses. There are, in addition, 35 current exploration licences, which allow the holders to carry out survey work (but not drilling) in any area not subject to a production licence.
On-site exploration—mainly seismic data acquisition or exploratory drilling—is a relatively short-term process and actual locations therefore change rapidly, but exploration is taking place, or in preparation, in all sectors of the North Sea, to the north and west of Scotland, and in the Irish Sea. There is no current on-site exploration activity on licensed areas south of England or in the south-west approaches.
In accordance with the Hydrocarbons Licensing Directive, no distinction is drawn between United kingdom and non-United Kingdom companies as operators of partners in the award of administration of licences. The statistics for licence operators in both categories on Petroleum Production licences and producing fields are as follows:
Current petroleum Producing licences Producing offshore oil and gas fields Current total 550 187 Operating companies: UK 10 6 Non-UK1 30 19 1Includes UK registered companies with non-UK parents