Norway opens 2015 NCS licencing round

Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has today announced the awards in pre-defined areas (APA) 2015 licencing round, comprising the predefined areas with blocks in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea.

The objective is to award new production licences in these areas at the beginning of 2016. The application deadline is September 2, 2015 at 12:00 pm. The awards will be announced during the first quarter of 2016.

Application Area

The predefined areas have been extended with more blocks since APA 2014. The new areas include 35 blocks in the Norwegian Sea and 11 blocks in the Barent Sea. Applications can be submitted for any blocks or parts of blocks within the predefined areas that are not already included in a licence three months before the closing date for application. This entails that acreage which is relinquished in the application period is regarded as announced at the time of governmental approved relinquishment.

“History has shown us that the APA-rounds have been very important for the value-creation and for the activity-level on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. I am therefore very pleased to be able to announce this year’s APA-round where a significant number of blocks have been added. APA 2015 is yet another example of how this Government delivers on its promises from the Sundvolden-declaration with regards to maintaining a predictable and high pace of new awards,” says Minister of Petroleum and Energy Tord Lien.

“The expansion of the APA-area in the Norwegian Sea and in the Barents Sea in APA 2015 opens up for effective exploration of the areas near several discoveries and close to the Aasta Hansteen-field. This is good resource management, and will be important for the activity-level and the value-creation, especially in the northern region,” Lien continues.