Norway Starts Work on APA 2018 Round

Norway’s petroleum and energy ministry said January 15 said it has begun work in preparing an expanded 'APA 2018' licensing round.

APA rounds are held annually and offer mature acreage on the Norwegian continental shelf. The ministry is consulting with upstream companies over APA 2018 until the end of February.

Petroleum minister Terje Soviknes said in a statement: “Through a solid expansion with 47 blocks in the Norwegian Sea and 56 blocks in the Barents Sea, the government is proposing effective and timely exploration and activity in the future. I strongly believe that oil companies will still see interesting opportunities in these areas.”

When the deadline for the APA 2017 round expired September 1 2017, the regulator NPD had received applications from 39 companies, six more than in last year’s, a record number; awards are scheduled early 2018.  Soviknes meanwhile will learn later this week if he retains his ministerial brief in Norway’s new coalition government, agreed January 14.