About us
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has about 200 employees and offices in Stavanger and Harstad.
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate was established in 1972 and is a state-level specialist directorate and public administrative body reporting to the Ministry of Energy. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) changed its name to the Norwegian Offshore Directorate on 1 January 2024.
Primary objective
- The Norwegian Offshore Directorate's primary objective is to contribute toward generating the greatest possible values for Norwegian society from oil and gas activities on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS).
- This shall take place through efficient and prudent resource management, while also taking into account health, safety, the environment, greenhouse gas emissions and other users of the sea.
- The Directorate shall also contribute toward administration of the CO2 storage potential on the NCS in order to facilitate reduced greenhouse gas emissions and administration of Norwegian seabed mineral resources.
Allocation letters, annual reports and instructions – Ministry of Energy (Norwegian only)
The Petroleum Act stipulates that the Norwegian State has the proprietary right to subsea petroleum deposits and the exclusive right to resource management. Resource management of petroleum resources shall be carried out in a long-term perspective for the benefit of the Norwegian society as a whole.
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate
- is a specialist directorate tasked with administration and management of petroleum resources on the NCS and serves as an adviser to the Ministry.
- is a driving force to realise as much as possible of the resource potential on the NCS, thereby generating the greatest possible values for the broader society. The Directorate shall contribute to prudent production of Norwegian petroleum resources.
- has a national responsibility for data from the NCS and has an overview and communicator role for data, analyses and relevant factors involved in decision-making.
- provides the Ministry of Energy with technical input on prudent use of acreage on the NCS and shall contribute to good coexistence between various users of the sea.
- is the specialist directorate for administration and management of seabed minerals on the NCS.
- provides technical advice to the Ministry on the storage of CO2.
- advises the Ministry on matters concerning the subsurface and seabed conditions associated with placing offshore wind installations.
Read more:
- Allocation letters, annual reports and instructions – Ministry of Energy (Norwegian only)
- NOD Annual Report 2023 (Norwegian only)
Updated: 3/31/2025