22nd licensing round– great interest in the northernmost areas on the Norwegian Continental Shelf

The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has received applications from 36 companies by the deadline for applications in the 22^nd licensing round on the Norwegian continental shelf. The Ministry intends to award new production licences before the summer of 2013.

“I am pleased to see such extensive, broad interest in the 22^nd licensing round. The positive exploration results achieved on the Norwegian continental shelf in recent years are an important starting point for our efforts to maintain activity levels on the Norwegian continental shelf in the long term. Further exploration in opened areas will play a key role in achieving this,” says Minister of Petroleum and Energy Ola Borten Moe.

This licensing round is targeting frontier areas in the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea. Some 86 blocks were announced in the 22^nd licensing round – 14 blocks in the Norwegian Sea and 72 blocks in the Barents Sea.

“There is great variety both among the companies that have applied and in the areas they have applied for. This is very positive, and shows that the industry has great faith in the northernmost areas of the Norwegian continental shelf,” says Minister of Petroleum and Energy Ola Borten Moe.

When offers are sent to the companies in the spring of 2013, the Ministry will announce which blocks have been awarded to which companies, along with the associated timetables.

The companies that have applied for production licences are:
Atlantic Petroleum AS, AS Norske Shell, Bayerngas Norge AS, BG Norge AS, BP Norge AS, Centrica Resources Norge AS, Concedo ASA, ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS, Dana Petroleum Norway AS, Det norske oljeselskap ASA, Dong E&P Norge AS, E.ON E&P Norge AS, Edison International SpA, Eni Norge AS, Faroe Petroleum Norge AS, GDF SUEZ E&P Norge AS, Idemitsu Petroleum Norge AS, Lukoil Oil Company, Lundin Norway AS, Maersk Oil Norway AS, Moeco Oil & Gas Norge AS, North Energy ASA, OMV Norge AS, PGNiG Norway AS, Repsol Exploration Norge AS, Rocksource ASA, RN Nordic Oil AS, RWE Dea Norge AS, Skagen44 AS, Spring Energy Norway AS, Statoil Petroleum AS, Suncor Energy Norge AS, Total E&P Norge AS, Tullow Oil, Valiant Petroleum and Wintershall Norge ASA.

The Government announced the 22^nd licensing round on 26 June 2012. More information about the 22^nd licensing round can be found in the press release published on the Ministry’s website. The website also contains maps of the announced blocks.