The authorities assessed applications from a total of 33 companies through autumn 2019.

Of the 69 production licences, 13 are in the Barents Sea, 23 are in the Norwegian Sea and 33 are in the North Sea. 18 of the production licences are additional acreage to existing production licences or agreement-based areas.

Vote of confidence in the Norwegian Shelf

“The 2019 awards with new licences from the southern North Sea to the Barents Sea demonstrate the companies’ continued interest in the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Production licences are being offered both in the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea which will require new seismic data and use of new technology to evaluate the resource potential. It will be exciting to watch how this develops in the coming years,” says NPD head of exploration, Torgeir Stordal.

Broad spectrum of companies

The 2019 awards have been offered to a broad spectrum of players, with a good mix of small and medium-sized companies, as well as major international players.

“It is encouraging that companies show willingness to test new exploration concepts. Many are also focusing on proving resources near existing infrastructure. This combination is important for continued value creation on the Norwegian Shelf,” says Stordal.

All you need to know about APA 2019