The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum awarded 24 licenses in the country’s 22nd licensing round. The offerings include 20 production licenses in the Barents Sea and four in the Norwegian Sea. The agency granted 29 companies shares—including ConocoPhillips, Rosneft, Petoro, and Det Norske, and 14 companies—including, Eni, Shell, Statoil, and Total were offered operatorship (see below for complete list of offers).
“This confirms that the Norwegian shelf is a very interesting petroleum province,” said Petroleum and Energy Minister, Ola Borten Moe. “The interest of the companies has been great, and they have delivered many good applications.”
Eni picked up four licenses in the Barents Sea, three of which are operatorship with an ownership interest. The Italian explorer will hold 40% in PL 717, PL 712 and PL 716, and 30% in PL 714, which will be operated by Statoil.
Statoil took away shares in seven production licenses, three of which it will operate. Statoil will hold 40% ownership and operatorship in PL713, 35% ownership and operatorship in PL615B, and 20% ownership in PL712, PL717, PL718, and PL720—an area of unexplored acreage in the western part of the Barents Sea.
"Statoil has a strong belief in the Barents Sea as a prolific oil and gas region with significant yet-to-find resources,” said Gro Gunleiksrud Haatvedt, Statoil senior VP for exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS).” It will require a significant effort to develop the opportunities that lie in this immature area. We will continue working hard to unlock this potential and to contribute to the new industrial horizon in the north.”
“We are now the basis for a long-term and good exploration of our northern waters in the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea,” Moe said. “This will contribute to future growth and employment in both the north and the rest of the country.”
The 22nd licensing round comprised 86 blocks in both the Barents and Norwegian Seas.
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