UK OPRED

Deep Drilling Screening Directions 2026 - Multiple Offshore Well Decisions

OPRED issued multiple deep drilling screening direction decisions for UK offshore petroleum operations. Decisions were published for SHEARWATER (Adura Operations Limited), MUNGO (BP Exploration Operating Company Limited), MAGNUS (Enquest Heather Limited), PENGUIN WEST (Adura Operations Limited), CYGNUS (Ithaca (NE) E&P Limited), and CLAIR-RIDGE (BP Exploration Operating Company Limited). These environmental screening decisions authorise drilling producer wells at various North Sea locations. Decision references include DR/2626/0, DR/2647/0, DR/2643/0, DR/2641/0, DR/2634/0, and DR/2642/0.

Charging Regime for Offshore Oil and Gas Activities - Consultation Concluded

OPRED and DESNZ have concluded their consultation on revised hourly rates for specialist and non-specialist staff fees under the new offshore decommissioning charging regime. The consultation ran from 17 February to 13 March 2026 and sought feedback on rates used to calculate costs recovered for the Secretary of State's environmental and decommissioning functions under Part IV of the Petroleum Act 1998. Changes were enabled by amendments to the Petroleum Act 1998 made by the Energy Act 2023.

Oil & Gas Offshore Decommissioning Guidance, UKCS

OPRED published guidance on decommissioning offshore oil and gas installations and pipelines on the UK Continental Shelf under the Petroleum Act 1998. Operators must submit decommissioning programmes identifying all equipment, infrastructure, and materials, along with proposed decommissioning solutions for each item. OPRED invites public comments on programmes and has published financial assurance guidance outlining how it assesses operators' financial capability to carry out decommissioning.

Kyla Field Development Decision

OPRED issued a decision on the Kyla Field Development project proposed by Serica Energy Ltd. The decision is accompanied by a full Environmental Statement (Part 1 and Part 2, totalling over 500 pages) and a public consultation notice published on 10 April 2026. The project falls under the Offshore Petroleum Licensing regime and requires compliance with Environmental Impact Assessment regulations.

OPRED Requests EMS Annual Public Statement from Offshore Operators

OPRED issued a request on 15 April 2026 for Environmental Management System (EMS) Annual Public Statements from offshore oil and gas operators. The communication is part of OPRED's ongoing stakeholder communications for 2026. Operators in the UK offshore sector should monitor for the specific submission requirements outlined in the request.