NPD awards 61 offshore exploration licences to 30 companies

The authorities assessed applications from a total of 33 companies during autumn 2020.

Of the 61 production licences, 34 are in the North Sea, 24 are in the Norwegian Sea and three are in the Barents Sea. 12 of the production licences are additional acreage to existing production licences.

Equinor was awarded 17 new production licences – 10 licences as operator and seven licences as partner. Eight production licences are in the North Sea and nine licences in the Norwegian Sea.

Wintershall Dea was awarded interest in 16 exploration licenses, including four as operator. The company secured access to five areas in the North Sea, nine in the Norwegian Sea, and two in the Barents Sea.

Lundin Energy was awarded a total of 19 exploration licence interests: 15 licences in the North Sea, two licences in the Norwegian Sea and two licences in the Southern Barents Sea. Seven of the newly awarded licences will be operated by Lundin Energy Norway.

Neptune Energy was awarded a total of six new licences. Four licenses are in the Norwegian North Sea and two licenses in the Norwegian Sea. In three of the licenses Neptune has been awarded operatorship.

“This year’s award of 61 new production licences to as many as 30 companies shows that the petroleum industry still has significant expectations of making profitable discoveries on the Norwegian Shelf,” said director licence management in the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, Kalmar Ildstad.

“It’s positive that the companies are showing significant interest in exploring in areas with known geology, and close to existing infrastructure,” said Ildstad.

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