Norway launches 22ndexploration licensing round

摘要

Copenhagen—Norway announced June 26its 22nd licensing round on the NorwegianContinental Shelf, with 86 blocks or partsof blocks on offer. Of these, 14 are in theNorwegian Sea and 72 in the remote BarentsSea, north of Norway in Arctic waters, theministry said.The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate saidit was seeing increasing optimism and inter-est by oil and gas companies in the mostlyuntapped Barents Sea.NPD Exploration Director Sissel Eriksensaid the interest in exploring in the BarentsSea increased considerably after state-con-trolled Statoil and its license partners foundoil and gas at the Skrugard prospect with7220/8-1 in PL532 in 2011.