Additional awards in APA 2006

Today the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy is offering 10 additional production licences to 22 companies in the Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2006. With this addition, a total of 58 production licences are being offered in APA 2006, an increase from 45 in APA 2005.

On 29 January the Government awarded 48 production licences in APA 2006. In addition the Government decided to award up to 10 production licences, conditional on outstanding issues related to some companies’ organisation, that had to be clarified. On the basis of measures taken by the companies concerned, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has decided to offer the postponed production licences as planned, in accordance with the Government’s decision.

The new production licences are located in the Barents Sea (2), the Norwegian Sea (2) and the North Sea (6).

The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy will stipulate conditions for rapid exploration and progress towards a possible Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) of potential resources in the licenses, and to ensure an effective exploration of oil and gas in the mature areas on the shelf. This is important in order to take advantage of the capacity of existing and planned production and transportation facilities.

Offers to 7 operators (number of operatorships in parenthesis)
OMV (1)
Petro-Canada (1)
Statoil (1)
Wintershall (1)
Nexen (2)
DNO (3)
Hydro (1)

Offer to 22 companies: (number of shares, included where the companies are operators, in paranthesis)

OMV (2)
Discover (2)
Petro-Canada (2)
Noreco (2)
Statoil (1)
Total (1)
GdF (1)
Hess (1)
RWE Dea (1)
Wintershall (2)
Maersk (3)
Genesis (2)
Nexen (2)
DNO (4)
Lundin (1)
Ener (1)
Faroe (1)
Rocksource (1)
Hydro (1)
Altinex (1)
Svenska (1)
Pertra (1)

Background information:
• Map APA 2006 (pdf format)
• Companies, blocs and work commitments in APA 2006 (pdf format)
• Press release from the announcement of APA 2006 on 21 February 2006
• Press release from the awards in APA 2006 on 29 January 2007
• Background (pdf format)