On 7 July 2022, the North Sea Transition published our wells consents (WONS) guidance which clarifies the key matters the NSTA considers when we receive an application for each type of well consent.
Licensees require a consent before undertaking a wide range of activities including:
- a well foundation or other equipment is installed in advance of drilling operations
- a well is spudded, side-tracked or drilling recommences
- any part of a well comes within 125m of a licence boundary
- a well test, or extended well test, is commenced
- a well is abandoned
- a well is suspended
- completion work (including hydraulic fracturing) is carried out on a well
- physical changes are made to a well (re-completion).
The guidance is available to download below
Update 8 November 2024:
Licensees are reminded that pursuant to the Offshore Safety Directive 2015 (OSD regulations), no person may conduct an offshore petroleum operation who is not an operator in respect of that operation i.e. appointed in accordance with the OSD regulations. For more detail, please refer to the NSTA’s Offshore Safety Directive guidance