Broad interest for mature areas on the Norwegian shelf

By the deadline for applications in the Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2010 on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has received applications from 41 companies. The Ministry aims at award of new production licenses in APA 2010 late 2010 or early 2011.

There has been a broad interest for the APA-awards recent years, with many new production licenses awarded. This shows that mature areas on the Norwegian shelf still attract interest. With the APA-awards many new companies have been given the opportunity to explore areas that have been available for exploration for several years.

-It is positive that companies show interest for our mature areas. Access to prospective acreage together with interest from companies is a key to sustain the level of activity on the Norwegian continental shelf, says State Secretary Per Rune Henriksen in the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.

-Exploration and access to acreage are conditions for future value creation and government revenues from the petroleum industry. APA is pivotal in order to ensure the best possible exploitation of the resources on the mature parts of the continental shelf, continues Mr. Henriksen.

The purpose of the APA-arrangement is to encourage exploration activity in mature areas. In these areas the expectation is mostly smaller discoveries that do not justify an independent development. Prudent resource management is to discover and develop these resources before existing infrastructure close down.

The companies that have applied for production licenses are:

A/S Norske Shell, Agora Oil & Gas AS, Bayerngas Norge AS, Bridge Energy Norge AS, Centrica Resources Norge AS, Concedo ASA, ConocoPhillips Scandinavia AS, Dana Petroleum Norway AS, Det norske oljeselskap ASA, Dong E&P Norge AS, E.ON Ruhrgas Norge AS, Edison International SpA - Norway Branch, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, Faroe Petroleum Norge AS, Fortis Petroleum Norway AS, Front Exploration AS, GDF SUEZ E&P Norge AS, Idemistu Petroleum Norge AS, LOTOS Exploration & Production Norge AS, Lundin Norway AS, Maersk Oil Norway AS, Marathon Petroleum Norge AS, Nexen Exploration Norge AS, North Energy ASA (4sea Energy AS), Norwegian Energy Company ASA, OMV (Norge) AS, Petro-Canada Norge AS, Premier Oil Norge AS, Repsol Exploration Norge AS, Rocksource ASA, RWE-Dea Norge AS, Sagex Petroleum Norge AS, Skagen44 AS, Skeie Energy AS, Spring Energy Norway AS, Statoil Petroleum AS, Svenska Petroleum Exploration AS, Talisman Energy Norge A/S, TOTAL E&P NORGE AS, VNG Norge AS, Wintershall Norge ASA

The Norwegian Government announced the APA 2010 on February 19th 2010. More information can be found in the press release from this date, including a map of the announced area.