The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy on Wednesday invited oil companies to apply for acreage in the mature areas of the Norwegian continental shelf as part of the Awards in predefined areas 2021 (APA 2021) licensing round.
APA 2021 encompasses the mature and the geologically best-known parts of the shelf with blocks in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the Barents Sea.
In APA 2021 the predefined area has been expanded by 84 blocks. Four of them are in the North Sea, 10 in the Norwegian Sea and 70 in the Barents Sea. The proposed call has been subject to public consultation.
The companies' application deadline in this licensing round is noon, September 8. After the application process has been completed, the aim is to grant new production licenses in the announced areas at the beginning of 2022, the Ministry said.
"Announcement and allocation of exploration area is important to maintain the level of activity on the Norwegian shelf. It contributes to good resource management, creates great value for the community, and secures jobs across the country. The announcement of this APA round is in line with the government's long-term policy for the petroleum industry. It is also within the framework for the industry, which is agreed upon by a broad majority in the Parliament," says Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Tina Bru.
"Applications can be submitted for all available blocks or parts of blocks within the predefined areas," the ministry said.