The United Kingdom has launched its 28th round of offshore petroleum licensing for unlicensed seaward block. The DECC has excluded some blocks in the deepest waters of the South West because of inadequacy of data including potentially vulnerable components of the marine environment. Moreover, a number of blocks excluded from earlier licensing rounds on the basis of recommendations of previous Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) are currently not being offered as part of the 28th round of offshore petroleum licensing. This includes the blocks in or overlapping with the boundaries of the Moray Firth and Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation. In addition some blocks are currently withheld from this round of offshore petroleum licensing at the request of The Crown Estate as they overlie the Cleveland potash mine, and some at the request of the Ministry of Defence due to their use for intense military testing and training. DECC’s plan to offer licences for offshore oil and gas exploration and production through further licensing rounds was the subject of a SEA completed in 2011. Applications in the Round will need to be submitted by 25 April 2014.