Norway offers 51 licenses in offshore areas

Jan. 24, 2013
The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy earlier this month offered 51 offshore production licenses to 40 companies in a program it calls Awards in Predefined Areas (APA 2012).

The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy earlier this month offered 51 offshore production licenses to 40 companies in a program it calls Awards in Predefined Areas (APA 2012).

Of the total, 34 licenses are in the North Sea, 14 in the Norwegian Sea, and 3 in the Barents Sea (click here for a map). The APA round covered mature areas with known geology.

Forty-seven companies applied for licenses. Of the 40 offered shares in one or more licenses, 23 were offered operatorships.

Statoil received offers to operate seven licenses; AS Norske Shell, Spring Energy Norway AS, and Total E&P Norge AS, four each; and Centrica Resources Norge AS, Det norske oljeselskap ASA, Faroe Petroleum Norge AS, and Wintershall Norge ASA, three each.

Dong E&P Norge AS, E.On E&P Norge AS, Lundin Norway AS, Talisman Energy Norge AS, and VNG Norge AS received two operatorship offers each.

Receiving one operatorship offer each were Bayerngas Norge AS, BG Norge AS, Bridge Energy AS, Eni Norge AS, Maersk Oil Norway AS, Marathon Petroleum Norge AS, Norwegian Energy Co. ASA, OMV Norge AS, Repsol Exploration Norge, and RWE Dea Norge AS.