The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has announced this year’s licensing round for mature areas on the Norwegian continental shelf – Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2016.

In the APA 2016 round, the predefined area has been expanded by 24 blocks in the Norwegian Sea and 32 blocks in the Barents Sea. Several blocks are located around the Hansteen field in the Norwegian Sea. In the Barents Sea the blocks are mainly located in the area around the discoveries Castberg, Alta and Gotha. Additional resources in the area surrounding a planned or producing field may increase profitability, optimise utilisation of resources and value creation from the petroleum resources.

“Awarding prospective exploration acreage is a central element in the Government's policies. Our licensing policy promotes effective resource management, high value creation and employment. These are all-important factors, particularly in light of the challenging situation in the industry,” says Minister of Petroleum and Energy Tord Lien.

A complete announcement text, an updated map of the announced blocks, health, safety and environment (HSE), environmental and fisheries conditions and further information are available on the website of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.

The application deadline for companies is 12 pm noon on 6th of September 2016. The aim is to award new production licences in the announced areas at the beginning of 2017.

Tags: Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Norwegian Petroleum Directorate