Context:

• The U.K. is planning on more drilling in the North Sea for oil and natural gas which will help it become more energy independent.

Exploration in the North Sea:

• The 1958 Geneva Convention on the Continental Shelf was the first international legislation to establish the rights of countries over the continental shelves adjacent to their coastlines. 
• This convention facilitated North Sea exploration which was followed by the U.K.’s enactment of the Continental Shelf Act, effective in 1964.

Continental Shelf Act:

• This legislation authorized the exploration and utilization of the continental shelf, aligning with the principles of the 1958 Geneva Convention. 
• Specifically, it defined the extent of the U.K.’s authority over undersea oil and gas reserves (excluding coal) in proximity to its coastal areas.

About North Sea:

• Epeiric Sea: It is an epeiric sea on the European continental shelf connecting to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Sea in the north. 
  • An epeiric sea is a continental body of water which is very large in area and is either completely surrounded by dry land or connected to an ocean by a river, strait or arm of the sea.
• Location: It lies between England and Scotland on its west, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France on its south, and Norway, Denmark, and Germany on its west.
• Major Rivers draining into North Sea: the Rhine,  Thames, and the Elbe rivers
• Important Islands: Shetland’s Mainland, Orkney’s Mainland Island, Norwegian Stord Island
• Climate: The North Sea experiences an oceanic temperate maritime climate, characterized by slightly high temperatures. Winters are long but cool while summers are short and mild.

News Source: The Hindu