Norway’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy has opened the Barents Sea southeast for exploration.
Inviting oil companies to nominate the blocks they would like to have included in the country’s 23rd licensing round, minister of petroleum and energy Ola Borten Moe (pictured) said the Barents Sea southeast would be included.
It will be possible to nominate blocks in other parts of the Barents Sea, but number of blocks offered outside the southeastern area will most likely be limited, said the ministry.
The ministry is also accepting nominations in the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea.
The ministry said that the need for thorough, efficient data acquisition in the Barents south east area meant the schedule for the 23rd licensing round may be delayed, compared with an ordinary two-year schedule.
The nominations process will close on January 14, 2014.
“New acreage has not been opened on the Norwegian shelf since 1994,” said Moe. “The Barents Sea southeast will open up very significant opportunities for Northern Norway and Finnmark County.”
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