UK Offers New Shale Gas Sites

Britain offered 27 new onshore oil and gas blocks, including for shale gas exploration, on Tuesday, giving developers of the unconventional resource the chance to snap up new sites for the first time in seven years.

The licensing round, which had been delayed since the start of the year, attracted strong interest, with 95 applications received from 47 companies, the government said.

The licences will be formally awarded once further assessments are carried out on a second tranche of 132 blocks.

Reporting by Karolin Schaps and Susanna Twidale