APA 2015: Significant interest in exploration for oil and gas in Norway

- I am very pleased to see that there is still great interest in applying for new exploration acreage in Norway, and that the oil companies remain confident in the Norwegian Continental Shelf going forward. Awarding acreage is important in order to facilitate activity in years to come. It is positive that companies are are positioning themselves for long-term presence and value creation on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, says Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Tord Lien (Progress Party).

In connection with APA 2015, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy implemented a major expansion of the pre-defined areas of both the Norwegian and Barents seas. At the deadline, the ministry had received applications from a total of 43 companies, compared to 47 companies last year. The total number of applications was approximately the same as in last year's licensing round.

- Extensive and predictable access to attractive acreage is among the most important measures the Government can contribute with in order to maintain a high, long-term level of activity in the industry. I take note of the fact that there is great interest in the Norwegian Sea this year, and I can reveal that it is the Norwegian Sea that received the most applications for exploration acreage, Lien continues.

Background:

APA is a scheme with annual awards within pre-defined areas. The area will gradually be increased as the geological knowledge of areas on the Norwegian Continental Shelf increases. The purpose of the APA scheme is to stimulate rapid and efficient exploration of the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

In the areas with extensive geological knowledge on the Shelf, it is expected that most discoveries will be minor, which might not warrant independent developments. Therefore, it is good resource management to prove and recover these resources before existing infrastructure in connection with other fields is shut down.

APA 2015 was announced on 21 April 2014.

More information is available at APA 2015. Here you will also find maps of the announced areas.

The companies that have applied are:

A/S Norske Shell

Atlantic Petroleum Norge AS

Bayerngas Norge AS

BP Norge AS

Capricorn Norge AS

Centrica Resources (Norge) AS

Concedo ASA

ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS

Core Energy

DEA Norge AS

Det norske oljeselskap ASA

Dong E&P Norge AS

E.ON E&P Norge AS

Edison Norge AS

Eni Norge AS

Enquest Norge AS

Explora Petroleum

Faroe Petroleum Norge AS

Fortis Petroleum Norway AS

GDF SUEZ E&P Norge AS

KUFPEC Norway AS

Lime Petroleum Norway AS

Lundin Norway AS

MOL Norge AS

North Energy ASA

Norwegian Energy Company ASA

OMV (Norge) AS

Origo Exploration Norway AS

Petrolia Norway AS

PGNiG Upstream International AS

Premier

Pure E&P Norway AS

Repsol Exploration Norge AS

Skagen44 AS

Spike

Statoil Petroleum AS

Suncor Energy Norge AS

Svenska

Total E&P Norge AS

Tullow Oil Norge AS

VNG Norge AS

Wellesley Petroleum AS

Wintershall Norge AS