Subscription accessAwards in Predefined Areas 2007
On 8 February 2008 the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy announced that it is offering a total of 52 licences under the Awards in Predefined Areas 2007 (APA 2007). 24 of the licences lie in the North Sea, with 21 in the Norwegian Sea and the remaining seven in the Barents Sea.
113 applications were submitted by the deadline on 28 September 2007. The Ministry states that there is a large potential for proving new, smaller resources close to existing infrastructure in the mature areas of the NCS, which explains the extensive interest in the APA rounds. The Ministry has laid down conditions for rapid exploration and progress towards a possible plan for development and operation for the potential resources to be found in the licences, to ensure an effective exploration of oil and gas in the mature areas on the shelf.
| Companies awarded licences in APA 2007 | ||||
| Company | Number of licences awarded | Number of licences operating | ||
| StatoilHydro ASA | 12 | 9 | ||
| Det norske oljeselskap ASA | 11 | 3 | ||
| Noreco AS | 9 | 3 | ||
| E.On Ruhrgas Norge AS | 8 | 4 | ||
| Revus Energy AS | 7 | 5 | ||
| Lundin Norway AS | 7 | 4 | ||
| Centrica Resources Norge AS | 6 | 5 | ||
| NOIL Energy ASA | 6 | 4 | ||
| Aker Exploration AS | 6 | 1 | ||
| RWE Dea Norge AS | 6 | 0 | ||
| Eni Norge AS | 5 | 2 | ||
| Wintershall Norge AS | 5 | 2 | ||
| Faroe Petroleum Norge AS | 5 | 0 | ||
| Discover Petroleum AS | 4 | 1 | ||
| Gaz de France Norge AS | 4 | 1 | ||
| Petro-Canada Norge AS | 4 | 0 | ||
| Nexen Exploration Norge AS | 3 | 3 | ||
| Dana Petroleum Norway AS | 3 | 1 | ||
| Rocksource ASA | 3 | 1 | ||
| Bridge Energy AS | 3 | 0 | ||
| Esso Norge AS | 3 | 0 | ||
| Genesis Petroleum Norway AS | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total E&P Norge AS | 3 | 0 | ||
| DONG Norge AS | 2 | 1 | ||
| Concedo ASA | 2 | 0 | ||
| Endeavour Energy Norge AS | 2 | 0 | ||
| Hess Norge AS | 2 | 0 | ||
| Maersk oil Norway AS | 2 | 0 | ||
| Skagen44 AS | 2 | 0 | ||
| BG Norge AS | 1 | 1 | ||
| OMV Norge AS | 1 | 1 | ||
| AS Norske Shell | 1 | 0 | ||
| Bayerngas Norge AS | 1 | 0 | ||
| PA Resources Norway AS | 1 | 0 | ||
| Sagex Petroleum Norge AS | 1 | 0 | ||
| Skeie Energy AS | 1 | 0 | ||
| Talisman Energy Norge AS | 1 | 0 | ||
All of the 37 companies awarded licences in the APA 2007 already hold interests in the NCS apart from new-comers Skagen44 AS and Skeie Energy AS.
| Licences awarded in APA 2007 | ||||
| Blocks | Operator | Partners | ||
| 1/2 (part) all formations above Top Ekofisk Formation | DONG 40% | PA Resources 30% | ||
| Revus 15% | ||||
| Noreco 15% | ||||
| 2/5 (part) | Lundin 75% | Noreco 25% | ||
| 7/9 (part) | E.On Ruhrgas 100% | |||
| 7/12 (part) | Centrica 40% | Petro-Canada 30% | ||
| Faroe 30% | ||||
| 7/12 (part) | Centrica 40% | Petro-Canada 30% | ||
| Faroe 30% | ||||
| 7/12 (part) | NOIL Energy 70% | Det norske oljeselskap 30% | ||
| 8/1 (part) | Noreco 70% | Skeie 30% | ||
| 8/2 (part) | ||||
| 8/3 (part) | ||||
| 9/1 (part) | ||||
| 17/11 (part) | ||||
| 17/12 (part) | ||||
| 8/4 (part) | Lundin 30% | Endeavour 25% | ||
| 8/5 (part) | Det norske oljeselskap 25% | |||
| 8/7 (part) | Noreco 20% | |||
| 8/8 (part) 200m below Base Jurassic and younger | ||||
| 8/9 (part) | ||||
| 8/11 (part) 200m below Base Jurassic and younger | ||||
| 8/12 (part) | ||||
| 9/11 (part) | Noreco 40% | NOIL Energy 20% | ||
| 9/12 (part) | Det norske oljeselskap 20% | |||
| 10/10 (part) | Rocksource 20% | |||
| 16/1 (part) | Revus 40% | Endeavour 20% | ||
| Bridge 20% | ||||
| E.On Ruhrgas 20% | ||||
| 17/6 (part) | Rocksource 100% | |||
| 17/9 (part) | ||||
| 24/3 | Det norske oljeselskap 40% | Aker Exploration 30% | ||
| 25/1 (part) | StatoilHydro 30% | |||
| 25/2 (part) | ||||
| 25/4 (part) | Revus 50% | Bridge 50% | ||
| 25/10 (part) | E.On Ruhrgas 40% | Det norsk oljeselskap 30% | ||
| Noreco 30% | ||||
| 26/2 (part) | StatoilHydro 50% | Wintershall 15% | ||
| 31/11 (part) | Genesis 15% | |||
| Petoro 20% | ||||
| 29/3 (part) all formations below Top Cretaceous | Nexen 40% | Wintershall 30% | ||
| 29/6 (part) all formations below Top Cretaceous | Aker Exploration 30% | |||
| 30/1 (part) all formations below Top Cretaceous | ||||
| 30/2 (part) all formations below Top Cretaceous | ||||
| 30/4 (part) all formations below Top Cretaceous | ||||
| 30/1 (part) all formations above Top Cretaceous | NOIL Energy 60% | Det norske oljeselskap 40% | ||
| 30/2 (part) all formations above Top Cretaceous | ||||
| 30/4 (part) all formations above Top Cretaceous | ||||
| 30/3 (part) | Nexen 60% | Wintershall 40% | ||
| 30/6 (part) | StatoilHydro 18% | Talisman 27% | ||
| RWE Dea 13.5% | ||||
| Revus 4.5% | ||||
| Petoro 37% | ||||
| 31/3 (part) | Dana 55% | E.On Ruhrgas 45% | ||
| 32/1 (part) | ||||
| 33/9 (part) | Revus 100% | |||
| 34/6 (part) all formations below Base Pliocene | Nexen 100% | |||
| 34/9 (part) part all formations below Base Pliocene | ||||
| 35/5 (part) all formations below Top Cretaceous | BG 100% | |||
| 35/7 (part) all formations below Base Pliocene | ||||
| 35/9 (part) | StatoilHydro 20% | Gaz de France 30% | ||
| Shell 12% | ||||
| RWE Dea 8% | ||||
| Petoro 30% | ||||
| 6305/9 (part) | Aker Exploration 100% | |||
| 6406/1 (part) | Wintershall 40% | Maersk Oil 30% | ||
| 6406/2 (part) | Aker Exploration 30% | |||
| 6406/2 (part) | Wintershall 40% | Maersk Oil 30% | ||
| 6406/3 (part) | Bridge 30% | |||
| 6406/3 (part) | Revus 30% | Faroe 30% | ||
| 6407/1 (part) | Centrica 20% | |||
| Concedo 20% | ||||
| 6407/2 (part) | StatoilHydro 40.85% | Eni Norge 29.4% | ||
| ExxonMobil 9.8% | ||||
| Petoro 19.95% | ||||
| 6407/2 (part) | StatoilHydro 40.85% | Eni Norge 29.4% | ||
| 6407/5 (part) | ExxonMobil 9.8% | |||
| Petoro 19.95% | ||||
| 6407/2 (part) | OMV 50% | Sagex 50% | ||
| 6407/5 (part) | ||||
| 6407/9 (part) | Gaz de France 70% | Discover 30% | ||
| 6407/11 (part) | ||||
| 6407/12 (part) | ||||
| 6407/9 (part) | Centrica 50% | Bayerngas 50% | ||
| 6407/12 (part) | ||||
| 6506/9 (part) | StatoilHydro 40.95 % | Eni Norge 19.6% | ||
| 6506/12 (part) | Total 9.8% | |||
| ExxonMobil 14.7% | ||||
| Petoro 14.95% | ||||
| 6506/11 (part) | Centrica 40% | Faroe 30% | ||
| Petro-Canada 30% | ||||
| 6507/7 (part) | Centrica 40% | Faroe 30% | ||
| 6507/10 (part) | Petro-Canada 30% | |||
| 6507/8 (part) | StatoilHydro 40% | RWE Dea 20% | ||
| Rocksource 20% | ||||
| DONG 20% | ||||
| 6507/11 (part) | Det norske oljeselskap 40% | Lundin 30% | ||
| Noreco 30% | ||||
| 6508/1 (part) | NOIL Energy 35% | Det norske oljeselskap 30% | ||
| Skagen44 15% | ||||
| Petoro 20% | ||||
| 6508/3 (part) | Det norske oljeselskap 40% | Dana 30% | ||
| 6608/12 (part) | Discover 30% | |||
| 6609/10 (part) | ||||
| 6609/11 (part) parts all formations below Base Cretaceous | ||||
| 6508/5 (part) | Discover 50% | Skagen44 50% | ||
| 6508/6 (part) | ||||
| 6608/8 (part) | Revus 40% | Concedo 30% | ||
| E.On Ruhrgas 30% | ||||
| 6608/10 (part) | Noreco 40% | Dana 30% | ||
| E.On Ruhrgas 30% | ||||
| 6609/8 (part) all formations below Base Cretaceous | E.On Ruhrgas 40% | Lundin 20% | ||
| 6609/9 (part) all formations below Base Cretaceous | Genesis 20% | |||
| Petoro 20% | ||||
| 6609/8 (part) all formations above Base Cretaceous | E.On Ruhrgas 40% | Lundin 30% | ||
| 6609/9 (part) all formations above Base Cretaceous | Genesis 30% | |||
| 6609/10 (part) all formations above Base Cretaceous | ||||
| 6609/11 (part) all formations above Base Cretaceous | ||||
| 7019/2 (part) | StatoilHydro 33.53% | Total 18.4% | ||
| 7019/3 (part) | Gaz de France 12% | |||
| 7119/11 (part) | Hess 3.26% | |||
| 7119/12 (part) | RWE Dea 2.81% | |||
| 7120/10 (part) | Petoro 30% | |||
| 7120/1 (part) | Lundin 40% | RWE Dea 30% | ||
| 7120/2 (part) | Det norske oljeselskap 30% | |||
| 7120/4 (part) | Lundin 40% | Aker Exploration 20% | ||
| 7120/5 (part) | Noreco 20% | |||
| 7120/6 (part) | Det norske oljeselskap 20% | |||
| 7120/10 (part) | StatoilHydro 33.53% | Total 18.4% | ||
| 7120/11 (part) | Gaz de France 12% | |||
| Hess 3.26% | ||||
| RWE Dea 2.81% | ||||
| Petoro 30% | ||||
| 7120/11 (part) | Eni Norge 40% | StatoilHydro 40% | ||
| 7120/11 (part) | Petoro 20% | |||
| 7121/2 (part) | NOIL Energy 40% | Discover 30% | ||
| Aker Exploration 30% | ||||
| 7122/9 (part) | Eni Norge 65% | StatoilHydro 20% | ||
| NOIL Energy 15% | ||||
Map: Showing blocks awarded in APA 2007 (red shading).
Source: PetroView
Map: Showing blocks awarded in APA 2007 (red shading).
Source: PetroView
Map: Showing blocks awarded in APA 2007 (red shading).
Source: PetroView
Some of the successful companies in the APA 2007 have commented on the awards. StatoilHydro was awarded interests in 12 licences, nine of which it will operate, and the company’s head of explorations on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, Tim Dodson, said: “We are very pleased with the award, which gives us new important exploration acreage close to existing SH-operated infrastructure offshore. The new exploration acreage is aimed to help maintain StatoilHydro’s production on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, ensuring that we can meet our ambition of producing some 1.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day over the next ten years.”
Among the production licences that StatoilHydro has been offered Mr Dodson particularly draws attention to two licences in the Barents Sea located close to the Snøhvit field north-west of Hammerfest. Mr Dodson added: “The two licences are located close to areas where gas has been discovered. Our goal is to find more gas that may be valuable additional resource during the further development of Snøhvit.”
Commenting on the seven licences, five operated, that were offered to Revus, the company’s CEO, Harald Vabø, said: “We are very pleased with this year’s awards where we were awarded nearly all the acreage we applied for including what we believe are some high quality licences. Revus has been one of the front runners in terms of building acreage position on the NCS and turning prospects into drilling plans. We are currently in the middle of an active drilling campaign where we plan to participate in 12-16 wells over a two year period. This is an unprecedented level of activity for a company of Revus’ size and this award allows us to sustain this level of activity into the future.”
Faroe Petroleum has been awarded five licences, all of which it operates, and Graham Stewart, Chief Executive of Faroe Petroleum, said: “We are delighted with these five additional awards, establishing now for Faroe Petroleum a very significant portfolio of attractive exploration prospects in Norway. Our highly experienced team have again demonstrated the company’s ability to secure high quality assets, in a very competitive market and in partnership with world class operators. The company now looks forward to drilling its first two Norwegian exploration wells this year.”
Dana has been awarded interests in three licences, one operated, bringing its Norwegian portfolio to a total of eight licences. Commenting on the awards, Tom Cross, Dana’s Chief Executive, said: “Dana entered Norway in mid 2007 and, in just a short time, we have built a valuable portfolio of assets and opportunities. Our first Norwegian well, late in 2007, resulted in two oil discoveries at Storskrymten and we now look forward to exploring the licences we have just been awarded.”
Genesis was also offered interests in three licences and Michael Haagaard, Managing Director of Genesis Norway, said: “The potential of these awards is very significant as they more than double the group’s unrisked recoverable resources. Whilst we continue to develop exploration opportunities with Lundin and Wintershall, we are also delighted to be partners, for the first time, with E.On Ruhrgas, Petoro and StatoilHydro. We have an excellent technical team, access to a library of 3D seismic data and the ability to utilise the latest geophysical techniques. This has allowed us to selectively apply for licences offshore Norway, an area which has been identified by our Board as being strategically important.”
