Following the Ministry of Energy’s announcement on May 8 regarding the annual licensing round for well-known exploration areas on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), 21 companies have submitted applications. The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) is now evaluating these applications for APA 2024, focusing on geological understanding and exploration plans.
Kalmar Ildstad, Director of License Management at NOD, expressed satisfaction with the strong interest in exploring new areas, despite numerous awards in previous APA rounds. “It’s gratifying to see the continued significant interest in exploring new acreage in mature areas on the NCS,” he said.
The APA 2024 round includes an expansion of 34 blocks in the Barents Sea and three in the Norwegian Sea, building on the APA 2023 round, which awarded 62 production licenses to 24 oil and gas firms. License awards for APA 2024 are expected in the first quarter of 2025.
NOD emphasized the continued interest from active NCS companies in areas near existing fields and infrastructure. Applicants include major players like Norske Shell, Aker BP, Equinor Energy, TotalEnergies EP Norge, and Wintershall Dea Norge, among others.
Norway’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Terje Aasland, noted, “The companies’ faith in further exploration on the NCS is very gratifying. Exploration and new discoveries are crucial to addressing the expected decline in production in the 2030s. Success in developing new fields is essential not just for Norway’s employment and economic growth but also for European energy security.”