The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has offered for award 25 licences for 111 blocks or part blocks to 17 companies in the 29th Offshore Licensing Award to enable further exploration and production across frontier areas of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). The 29th Licensing Round was the first licensing round in two decades to focus solely on frontier, under-explored areas of the Rockall Basin, Mid-North Sea High, and part of the East Shetland Platform. It attracted applications from 24 companies for 113 blocks when it closed in October 2016.