Norway extends Goliat oil license in Barents Sea

Feb. 19, 2007
Norway's oil and energy minister Odd Roger Enoksen will grant the Goliat license partners additional acreage to explore in the Barents Sea, after studies suggest the oil reservoir could expand into an area not covered by the original license.

Uchenna Izundu
International Editor

LONDON, Feb. 19 -- Norway's oil and energy minister Odd Roger Enoksen will grant the Goliat license partners additional acreage to explore in the Barents Sea, after studies suggest the oil reservoir could expand into an area not covered by the original license.

Goliat partners are Eni SPA 65%, Statoil ASA 20%, and DNO ASA 15%. Eni Norge AS submitted the extension application on behalf of the licensees in PL 229 and the partners will drill an extra exploration well to assess the extent of the resources.

Norway's energy ministry said this new acreage will be included in Goliat's development plan scheduled for 2008. The Goliat license covers 5 blocks with an area of 1,010 sq km.

Goliat is one of the most significant future field developments on the Norwegian continental shelf, Enoksen said recently. The license is 50 km southeast of Snøhvit field and 85 km northwest of Hammerfest.

In a separate development, the Norwegian government has offered 13 new blocks in the Barents Sea to interested applicants under its Awards in Predefined Areas 2007 (APA 2007) licensing round.

Companies must submit their applications by Sep. 28, and can apply for all blocks or parts of blocks which have not been allocated under a license. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said these were the first blocks on offer in the Barents Sea since APA 2004 and it plans to announce the winners by late this year or early in 2008.

Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected]