Norway offers 136 blocks in 25th licensing round on NCS

The Norwegian government is offering 136 blocks in the 25th licensing round on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), all of them located in the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea.

While 11 blocks are being offered in the Norwegian Sea in one region, the remaining 136 blocks are in the Barents Sea, across eight areas.

According to the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, the last date to apply for the new offshore licensing round is 23 February 2021.

The Norwegian government expects to grant the awards during Q1 2021.

Norway offers 136 blocks in Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea in the 25th licensing round on NCS. Photo courtesy of Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.

Torgeir Stordal – Exploration Director of Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said: “The recently published Resource Report 2020 showed that substantial undiscovered resources remain in all areas on the NCS. In the 25th round, the companies will have access to acreage that has not been available in the annual APA rounds so far,” says

“The announced acreage features a broad range of exciting plays that, so far, have not been extensively explored.”

“This licensing round contributes to predictable access to acreage for the industry, and towards maintaining the activity level.”