Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway – Thirty-eight companies have submitted bids to the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy for exploration acreage under Norway’s Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2018 licensing round.

Applicants ranged from large international oil companies to mid-size and smaller E&P groups.

The total number of applicants and applications is close to the level for the record-breaking APA 2017 round.

Minister of Petroleum and Energy Kjell Børge Freiberg said: “Predictable and stable framework-conditions and an active licensing policy are two important main pillars in the government’s petroleum policy.

“The high interest in the licensing rounds over the last few years shows that the government’s petroleum policy has the desired effect.”

This year, the pre-defined area was expanded in both the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea, and there have been bids for the newly opened blocks.

Production license awards should follow in early 2019.

09/10/2018