To ask Her Majesty's Government what licences are valid for the exploration for oil and gas around the coast of Northern Ireland and the Irish Sea. [HL1851]

The exploitation of the UK's oil and gas resource, including drilling, is carried out by companies under licences issued by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change under the Petroleum Act 1998. Drilling and other specific activities are subject to a further requirement for individual consent. Her Majesty's Government do not carry out any such drilling.

Thirty production licences presently cover areas in the Irish Sea. P099, P153, P251, P261, P287, P543, P547, P706, P710, P791, P865, P1032, P1033, P1475, P1476, P1477, P1478, P1479, P1480, P1481, P1482, P1483, P1545, P1546, P1547, P1548, P1549, P1550, P1551 and P1568.

Currently there are no production licences in respect of any area adjacent to the coast of Northern Ireland.

A map showing all current UK production licences can be viewed on my department's oil and gas website at www.og.berr.gov.uk/information/bb_updates/maps/Infrast_Off.pdf.

All exploration licences permit exploration (but not including deep drilling) anywhere on the UK continental shelf and in the UK's territorial waters, outside those areas covered by production licences at the time.