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
20 January 2026
As the global energy system undergoes its most profound transformation in a century, the need for credible leadership, practical solutions and inclusive dialogue has never been greater. In 2026, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will stand at the centre of this conversation as host of the 25th WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh.
20 January 2026
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the host of the 25th WPC Energy Congress on 26-30 April 2026. The Ministry of Energy spoke with Petroleum Economist about the key messages and opportunities for the global energy community.
19 January 2026
Newfound optimism is emerging that a dormant exploration frontier could become a strategic energy play and—whisper it quietly—Europe’s next offshore opportunity
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
