Statoil wins highest number of exploration licences in Norway in ten years

In the Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) round 2015, Statoil has been awarded interest in 24 licences on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), 13 of those as operator and 11 as partner. According to Statoil, this is the highest number of licences awarded to the company since 2005. 

The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy on Tuesday awarded 56 exploration licenses on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) in its latest licencing round. Of the companies that applied, 37 were offered ownership interests in at least one production licence.

“The NCS is the core of Statoil’s business and we are pleased with the awards in the APA 2015 round, which will allow us and the industry to further explore for value. This award is an important contribution to replenishing our exploration portfolio and in the work to maintain the production on the NCS until 2030 and beyond,” says Jez Averty, senior vice president for NCS exploration in Statoil.

Two commitment wells are included in the work programme in areas important to Statoil, the company stated on Tuesday. Both prospects are potential tie-back opportunities to existing infrastructure – Blåmann to Goliat and Cape Vulture to Norne.

The “Blåmann” prospect in the Barents Sea, where Statoil is operator with 50% participating interest and ENI and Petoro partnering with 30% and 20% respectively, has a firm well commitment to be drilled within two years of award.

The “Cape Vulture” prospect is awarded as an extension of the “Norne” licence (PL128) in the Norwegian Sea in which Statoils holds a 64% interest, ENI 11.5% and Petoro 24.5%. Also here, the work programme comprises a firm well commitment to be fulfilled within two years of the award.

“The APA 2015 award is an important component of securing future activity and value creation on the NCS. We also look forward to the announcement of awards in the 23rd concession round later in the year, in particular the new acreage in the Barents Sea South-East which is an important contribution to further exploration in frontier areas of the NCS,” says Averty.

In APA 2015, Statoil has been awarded new licences in all three NCS provinces:

Barents Sea

– 50% ownership and operatorship of production licence 849 (blocks 7121/7,8,9 7122/7) (Blåmann);
– 50% ownership and operatorship of production licence 848 (blocks 7119/2,3,5,6);
– 35% ownership and partner in production licence 229D (blocks 7122/8,9).

Norwegian Sea

– 64% ownership and operatorship of production licence 128D (block 6608/10) (Cape Vulture);

– 40% ownership and operatorship of production licence 833 (blocks 6407/8,9);

– 40% ownership and operatorship of production licence 834 (blocks 6407/8,9);

– 60% ownership and operatorship of production licence 835 (blocks 6407/2,3,6,6507/12);

– 40% ownership and operatorship of production licence 840 (blocks 6608/7,8);

– 50% ownership and operatorship of production licence 829 (blocks 6204/7,8,10,11);

– 40% ownership and operatorship of production licence 837 (blocks 6509/4,5,6,7,8,9, 6510/4,5,7,8);

– 20% ownership and partner in production licence 841 (block 6608/8);

– 20% ownership and partner in production licence 830 (blocks 6307/1,4, 6407/10);

– 20% ownership and partner in production licence 843 (blocks 6608/12, 6609/7,8,9,10,11,12);

– 20% ownership and partner in production licence 847 (blocks 6706/5,6);

– 40% ownership and partner in production licence 846 (blocks 6605/6, 6606/4);

– 36.2% ownership and partner in production licence 839 (blocks 6507/1,2,4,5).

North Sea

– 40% ownership and operatorship of production licence 812 (blocks 15/8,9,11,12)

– 60% ownership and operatorship of production licence 823 (block 25/2);

– 60% ownership and operatorship of production licence 828 (block 36/4);

– 58.7% ownership and operatorship of production licence 813 (blocks 15/5,6);

– 30% ownership and partner in production licence 818 (block 15/3);

– 50% ownership and partner in production licence 809 (blocks 1/3, 2/1);

– 30% ownership and partner in production licence 827S (block 35/10);

– 20% ownership and partner in production licence 782SB (blocks 25/7,10).