Fifteen Companies Purchased Seismic Data Off Jan Mayen and Barents Sea

Rising interest in Arctic exploration finds more proof with increased attention of major companies offshore Jan Mayen island.

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said in July that just seven companies bought seismic surveys on the areas. In the last months, as of 19 August, fifteen companies have purchased the seismic data package, reads a note released on Wednesday. 

According to note released in July, the seven companies were Chevron Norge AS, Idemitsu Petroleum Norge AS, Det norske oljeselskap ASA, AS Norske Shell, Total E&P Norge AS, Lundin Norway and Tullow Oil Norge AS. 

The eight companies buying seismic surveys later on are: Statoil Petroleum AS, Dong E&P Norge AS, ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS, ENI Norge AS, BP Norge AS, OMV (Norge), GDF Suez E&P Norge AS, BG Norge Ltd.

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate acquired seismic in the southeastern part of the Barents Sea and in the ocean areas off Jan Mayen on assignment from the government in 2011 and 2012. The price of the seismic data package is NOK 12 million (around 1.5 million euros).

The seismic data package will also include older, reprocessed 2D seismic data from the southeastern Barents Sea that was acquired in 1974 and 1976 and reprocessed in 1992 (approximately 2160 kilometres).