Summary
The landscape of companies on the Norwegian continental shelf is evolving and may influence future exploration activity and resource growth. The report provides an overview of how the player landscape in exploration activity and resource growth has evolved over time.
The player landscape on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) plays a significant role in how resources are developed. Changes in the player landscape impact competition, technological development and value creation. When the number and composition of players change, this can lead to consequences for investments, innovation and future resource utilisation.
A changing player landscape can affect both the pace of development on the NCS, and which concepts are prioritised. Therefore, it is important that these changes are carefully monitored to facilitate understanding of the drivers that will shape the NCS in the years to come.
This study deals with activity in the exploration phase on the NCS, from award of production licences to potential discoveries. The production phase will be discussed in a separate study.
Having a diversity of companies is particularly important in the exploration phase. Diversity promotes efficiency through competition, and helps to ensure a broader range of ideas, interest in different types of exploration concepts, as well as application of varied technologies and work methods.
This study delves deeper into how the player landscape is evolving, and the significance this carries for both exploration activity and resource growth on the NCS.
This study shows that the number of companies on the NCS is at its lowest level since the start of oil and gas activities. The shift in exploration activity reveals increasing domination by Norwegian companies and companies whose dominant activity is on the NCS.
The composition of licensees in licences at the time of award can give some indication about the collaboration between the companies in the exploration phase. We see that composition patterns have changed, with fewer companies overall, and a distinct shift towards Norwegian players as far as company categories.
The player landscape is now characterised by fewer companies overall, with a clear dominance by Norwegian players. New groups, such as Norwegian oil and gas specialists and Oil and gas investors, have entered, while several international companies have sold their stakes and exited the NCS.
Updated: 12/11/2025