• Offshore Installations and Wells (Design and Construction,

etc) Regulations 1996

• Over-riding principle to ensure design, construction &

maintenance minimises risk of unplanned release of fluids

throughout life of the well.

• Minimise risk from all sub-surface hazards & release of

unplanned fluids

• Must be adequate safety margin to counter formation

fracture pressure & well tests

DECC: award of exclusive Petroleum Exploration &

Development Licence after open competition

Local Authority

Planning Permission

EA/SEPA

Statutory

Consultee

DECC: online

well application

for <96 hr testing

DECC checks

with

HSE/EA/SEPA

before issuing

well consent

HSE

Notification

EA/SEPA • Notices

• Abstraction licences

• Discharge and radioactive substances

regulations permits

Exploration

Well

DECC: 90-day extended

well test (EWT), if required,

setting limit on hydrocarbons

produced, vented or flared.

Exploration Well success

Local Authority

Planning Permission

EA/SEPA

Statutory

Consultee

EA/SEPA • Notices

• Abstraction licences

• Discharge and radioactive

substances regulations permits

HSE

Notification

DECC: Field

Development Plan

DECC checks with

HSE/EA/SEPA ,

before issuing

Field

Development

Consent, setting

production, vent

and flare limits

Commercial development

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• British Geological Survey holds the national well archive and

other borehole databases. (From original logs)

• Decommissioning – stress on integrity of casing &

preservation of ground water quality

• Can backfill with good quality material that doesn’t

compromise aquifers but cement plugs permitted.