A RECORD total of 47 companies submitted applications last month for territory on offer in this year's Awards in Pre-Defined Areas(APA)licensing process.Successive year-on-year increases in interest in APA offers since they were started in 2003 were hailed by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate(NPD)as a success for the scheme,which was designed to promote the exploration of mature areas.But APA awards have gone further and changed the corporate character of Norwegian exploration.APA offers have attracted many small companies to the country's offshore,which at one time was the preserve of the majors and a few other North Sea specialists.
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