Norway's Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland
Core areas key for Norwegian APA awards
The winners of new NCS acreage stress synergies with existing portfolios
State-owned Equinor unsurprisingly dominates licences apportioned in Norway’s Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2022 round, nabbing 18 blocks as operator and a further eight as a shareholder of the 47 on offer, which were shared across 25 companies (see Fig.1). But its narrative on its appetite for acreage is shared by a raft of other successful Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) bidders—namely the importance of adding volumes close to existing infrastructure and producing fields. “Around 80pc of the exploration wells will be drilled in known, mature areas. Discoveries near existing infrastructure require less volume to be commercially developed and can be quickly put on stream and with
Also in this section
28 April 2026
The key energy player faces balancing regional routes, political complexities, and creating a clear strategic vision for energy security
24 April 2026
The European Commission’s response to the Middle East crisis is to double down on its transition strategy, with plans for a new target on electrification
24 April 2026
A major new discovery by Eni and BP that can likely be fast-tracked to production is welcome news for Egypt as it scrambles to plug a widening supply gap and deal with rising import risks
24 April 2026
Countries in the region are turning to the cleaner-burning fuel for power generation, driving demand for imports
