Petroleum licences – a legal culture perspective: the United Kingdom

This chapter begins by setting out the UK’s idiosyncratic constitutional arrangements (uncodified constitution, devolution) before considering the country’s evolving energy situation (from net exporter to import dependence, increasing role of renewables). Petroleum licensing arrangements are then considered, with particular attention paid to the discretionary nature of the system, the evolution of licensing forms, the emergent role of the Oil and Gas Authority and the concept of Maximising Economic Recovery, and the transformations under way in the context of the UK’s exit from the EU. Whilst the focus is on the offshore area, onshore arrangements for shale gas are also discussed.