North Sea Oil Drilling Licences Granted to 17 Companies, Majority to Foreign Firms

Move Sparks Backlash from Environmental Groups, Labour Pledges Shift to Clean Energy if Elected

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has granted 24 new exploration licences to 17 different companies, including Shell and BP, for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.
Most of the new licences have been awarded to foreign firms, with the largest share going to Neo Energy, controlled by Norwegian private equity investor HitecVision.
The move is part of the UK government's strategy to boost domestic energy production, with domestically produced gas being almost four times cleaner than imported Liquefied Natural Gas.
Environmental groups have criticized the decision, arguing that it undermines the UK's commitment to net zero and will do little to enhance the UK's energy security or lower energy bills.
Labour has stated that if it wins the upcoming general election, these new licences will be among the last ever issued, signalling a shift towards a clean energy transition.