Record High Interest in Exploration on the Norwegian Continental Shelf - APA 2017

At the application deadline on September 1^st , a total of 39 companies had submitted applications for new acreage in the best known areas on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) in this year's licensing round in mature areas (APA 2017).The number of applications received is more than 50 per cent higher than in last year's APA-round, and approximately 20 per cent higher than the previous record number of applications received in APA 2014.

-  Further exploration activity is vital to future value creation and employment on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.This in turn is important with reference to financing the welfare state.  Therefore, I am very happy that such a diverse group of companies has delivered a record number of applications for new exploration acreage, says Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Søviknes (The Progress Party).

There is a significant increase in the number of applicant companies from last year, with a broad variety of companies among the applicants. Applications has been received from large international companies, from the established mid-size companies and from  smaller exploration companies. A number of newly established companies with no prior record on the NCS also applied for acreage in this year's APA-round.

Our petroleum resources represent a wide variety of business-opportunities. The diversity of companies applying is in itself important in order to achieve the best way to explore all the different opportunities for value-creation, and thus, good resource management. The APA-area was significantly enlarged in both the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea during the preparation for this year's licensing round. These are interesting applications covering both inside the recent expansion and in the previously announced APA-areas.

-  The record high interest confirms that the oil companies see opportunities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. This shows that the Government's petroleum policy  has the desired effect, which is vital to employment and to our revenue-stream from Norway's most important industry in the decades to come. Stable framework conditions are an important part of this picture, Minister Terje Søviknes continues. 

Background:

Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) is the annual licensing round for the best know areas on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The purpose of the APA-scheme is to stimulate timely, rapid and effective exploration of the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The scheme contributes to good resource management by facilitating profitable development also from smaller discoveries. The APA-area is expanded each year as the geological knowledge in areas on the NCS increases.

APA 2017 was announced on the 2nd. May 2017. More information can be found under APA 2017. The MPE will award new production licenses in the announced areas at the beginning of 2018.

The companies that have applied are:

 

A/S Norske Shell

 

Aker BP ASA

 

Bayerngas Norge AS

 

Capricorn Norge AS

 

Centrica Resources (Norge) AS

 

Concedo ASA

 

ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS

 

DEA Norge AS

 

DNO Norge AS

 

Dong E&P Norge AS

 

ENGIE E&P Norge AS

 

ENI Norge AS

 

ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS

 

Faroe Petroleum Norge AS

 

Fortis Petroleum Norway AS

 

Idemitsu Petroleum Norge AS

 

INPEX Norge AS

 

Kufpec Norway AS

 

Lime Petroleum AS

 

Lotos Exploration & Production Norge AS

 

Lundin Norway AS

 

Maersk Norge AS

 

M Vest Energy AS

 

MOL Norge AS

 

OKEA AS

 

OMV (Norge) AS

 

Pandion Energy AS

 

Petrolia NOCO AS

 

PGNiG Upstream Norway AS

 

Point Resources AS

 

Repsol Norge AS

 

Skagen 44 AS

 

Statoil Petroleum AS

 

Suncor Energy Norge AS

 

Total E&P Norge AS

 

Tyr Exploration AS

 

VNG  Norge AS

 

Wellesley Petroleum AS

 

Wintershall Norge AS