By the deadline for applications in the Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2010 on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has received applications from 41 companies, the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy informs in a press release.
The awards of new production licenses will be announced in late or early 2011.
Among the applicants are companies from a number of countries. However, Russian companies are not on the list. Despite the increasingly closer cooperation between Norway and Russia, no Russian companies have so far engaged in Norwegian waters.
There is a major interest in hydrocarbon resources in the Norwegian High North. As previously reported, the 21st Norwegian license round announced in June this year includes 51 new blocks in the Barents Sea and 43 new blocks in the Norwegian Sea. It will form the basis for production licenses issued in spring 2011.
Read also: Norway announces drilling boom in Barents Sea
