43 companies net Norwegian stakes

Norway's Ministry of Petroleum has welcomed interest in its latest Awards in Pre-defined Areas licensing round, despite the expection that future discoveries in the area will be smaller than in the past. 

Stakes in some 54 new production licenses have been awarded in the latest rounds to 43 different companies, with 23 as operators.

The 54 production licences are distributed over the North Sea (34), the Norwegian Sea (16) and the Barents Sea (4). A record number of applications were submitted by a total of 47 companies in APA 2014.

“Today’s award of new exploration acreage provides new tangible exploration opportunities for the companies. Most of the exploration activity on the Shelf is carried out in mature areas. The fact that 43 different oil companies are offered ownership interests shows that we have an extensive diversity of players on the shelf,” says Minister of Petroleum and Energy Tord Lien (pictured).

“The Government will maintain a predictable and high level as regards award of new acreage for petroleum activity," he added. 

A statement from the Ministry said: "The APA licensing rounds cover the most explored areas on the Norwegian shelf. One of the primary challenges in mature areas is the expected decline in discovery size. Minor discoveries will not be able to carry standalone developments, but may have good profitability when they can exploit existing and planned processing equipment and transportation systems, or be seen in context with other discoveries or planned developments. Timely discovery and exploitation of such resources is therefore important."

The 23 companies offered operated stakes are (number of operatorships in brackets):

• A/S Norske Shell (1)
• Bayerngas Norge AS (2)
• BG Norge AS (1)
• Centrica Resources (Norway) AS (2)
• ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS (2)
• Det norske oljeselskap ASA (3)
• DONG E&P Norge AS (1)
• E.ON E&P Norge AS (3)
• Eni Norge AS (1)
• EnQuest Norge AS (1)
• Faroe Petroleum Norge AS (1)
• GDF SUEZ E&P Norge AS (1)
• Ithaca Petroleum Norge AS (2)
• Lotos Exploration and Production Norge AS (1)
• Lundin Norway AS (6)
• PGNiG Upstream International AS (1)
• Repsol Exploration Norge AS (2)
• Rocksource Exploration Norway AS (1)
• Statoil Petroleum AS (8)
• Total E&P Norge AS (5)
• Tullow Oil Norge AS (5)
• VNG Norge AS (1)
• Wintershall Norge AS (3)

Offers to 43 licensees (number of shares in brackets, including where the companies are operators):

• A/S Norske Shell (1)
• Atlantic Petroleum Norge AS (2)
• Bayerngas Norge AS (5)
• BG Norge AS (1)
• Capricorn Norge AS (5)
• Centrica Resources (Norway) AS (5)
• Concedo ASA (5)
• ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS (2)
• Core Energy AS (1)
• Det norske oljeselskap ASA (9)
• DONG E&P Norge AS (1)
• E.ON E&P Norge AS (12)
• Edison Norge AS (2)
• Eni Norge AS (2)
• EnQuest Norge AS (2)
• Explora Petroleum AS (5)
• ExxonMobil Exploration & Production Norway AS (2)
• Faroe Petroleum Norge AS (5)
• Fortis Petroleum Norway AS (7)
• GDF SUEZ E&P Norge AS (3)
• Idemitsu Petroleum Norge AS (1)
• Ithaca Petroleum Norge AS (3)
• Lime Petroleum Norway AS (1)
• Lotos Exploration and Production Norge AS (1)
• Lundin Norway AS (8)
• Maersk Oil Norway AS (1)
• North Energy ASA (2)
• OMV (Norge) AS (3)
• Petrolia Norway AS (3)
• PGNiG Upstream International AS (1)
• Premier Oil Norge AS    (1)
• Repsol Exploration Norge AS (2)
• Rocksource Exploration Norway AS (2)
• RWE Dea Norge AS (1)
• Skagen44 AS (1)
• Spike Exploration Holding AS (4)
• Statoil Petroleum AS (15)
• Suncor Energy Norge AS (3)
• Svenska Petroleum Exploration AS (1)
• Total E&P Norge AS (9)
• Tullow Oil Norge AS (7)
• VNG Norge AS (6)
• Wintershall Norge AS (8)