By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 5 -- The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, in Norway's 19th licensing round, awarded 17 companies interests in 13 production licenses covering 33 blocks or parts of blocks on the Norwegian continental shelf.
BG Group participates in eight of the licenses offered—five in deep waters of the Norwegian Sea and three in the Barents Sea. It will operate five of the licenses.
Statoil ASA gained interests in five production licenses, four in the Barents Sea. It will operate three of the licenses and plans to start seismic surveys as early as next year. Also, it has secured drilling rigs for the work program and plans to start drilling the first well in 2007, Statoil said.
The work program for all the awarded licenses includes four firm wells, seven "drill or drop" decisions, one appraisal well, and at least 9,860 sq km of 3D seismic survey.
