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Exploration on the West Coast of Britain West of Britain: The Atlantic Margin and the Oil Industry The Atlantic Margin and the oil industry Oil companies first began exploring the Atlantic Margin a generation ago, after the UK Government awarded licences to study the region as part of its 3rd licensing round in 1970. The number of blocks under exploration was increased through ten subsequent UK Government licensing rounds. The most recent, the 17th licensing round in April 1997, brought the total number of blocks under exploration to more than 150. Oil companies now have licences to explore just under 25,000 square kilometres of the Atlantic Margin region, although at present fewer than half of the 50 West of Britain operators entitled to prospect in the area are currently actively working there. Since the early 1970's almost 150 exploration and appraisal wells have been drilled. Most oil industry activity in the Atlantic Margin remains in the exploration phase, although projects in two fields are now in the production phase. BP's Production facility in the foinaven field came onstream in November 1997 while the company's Schiehallion field facility followed in July 1998. To date, only 1 in every 17 exploration wells drilled in the Atlantic Margin region has indicated the presence of potentially viable reserves. More than 100 wells were drilled over a 20 year period before the first large commercial field was discovered in 1992. The waters West of Britain are also some of the deepest in the UK offshore territory -- extending down to depths of more than 1000 m -- which present a greater challenge in mounting drilling operations than in the North Sea, where water depths range from 30 m to 250 m.