Offshore staff

(Oslo) Norway's government plans to raise the budget of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate by NOK 70 m next year. The increase is intended primarily for the compilation of new seismic data, in order to improve mapping over the Norwegian continental shelf.

This follows a new White Paper from the country's parliament (Storting) concerning management of the marine environment of the Barents Sea and waters off the Lofoten Islands. NPD's brief is to map the Nordland VII and Troms II areas; earlier seismic mapping suggests these previously off-limits, northerly areas are prospective.

10-16-2006