Knowledge Centre
Operations
Introduction
Oil & Gas UK's operations directorate focuses on delivering solutions to increase the efficiency and lifespan of the UK continental shelf (UKCS) whilst ensuring the integrity of assets.
In this section, you will find information on the licensing process, acquisition and disposal of assets, exploration, appraisal and production including subsea operations. Data on drilling and seismic activity are collated by Oil & Gas UK's subsidiary, Common Data Access (CDA).
You can learn about initiatives designed to increase efficiency such as the industry Codes of Practice, standard agreements and logistical solutions as well as the quarterly Oil & Gas UK Index which measures current activity and sentiment. There is also information on the strong collaboration between the fishing and oil and gas industries and on the challenges and considerations of decommissioning.
Key facts
- 99% of UK oil and gas production occurs under the seas surrounding the UK, from the seabed known as the UK continental shelf (UKCS).
- There is a network of 14,000 km of pipelines linking 107 oil platforms, 181 gas platforms and a large number of subsea installations.
- There are 383 producing fields, including 17 new ones which started production in 2008.
- Since 1965, 3,970 exploration and appraisal wells have been drilled at a cost of £58 billion (2008 money).
- In 2008, £1.4 billion was spent drilling 109 exploration and appraisal wells and 300-400 million barrels of oil and gas equivalent (boe) were discovered.
- The average size of the oil and gas fields discovered between 2000 and 2008 was 26 boe, compared with an average of 248 million boe in the ten years from 1966.
- Since 1965, over 6,000 development wells have been drilled to bring new discoveries into production.
- Since 1995, Common Data Access Ltd (CDA) has provided data management services to the industry. It manages well and seismic data as well as the DEAL website.
- Oil & Gas UK's subsidiary, LOGIC, works to stimulate supply chain collaboration and improve the competitiveness of the UKCS.
