Fossil Energy – Norway
Wintershall Dea has been awarded 11 exploration licences in the annual Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) licencing round in Norway, including three as operator.
The awards strengthen the company’s position as a leading operator with a strategy of exploring in areas near existing infrastructure.
“We highly value the consistency of the APA system, which provides regular and reliable access to new acreage in mature areas of the Norwegian Shelf. These awards will help to replenish our licence portfolio and provide further exploration drilling opportunities in the coming years,” said Michael Zechner, Managing Director Wintershall Dea Norge, after the awards were announced by Norway’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Terje Aasland, on January 10.
The APA 2022 awards, which include five new licences and six area extensions, are all located in mature areas of the Norwegian Shelf where Wintershall Dea has an existing acreage position.
Of the four awarded licences in the North Sea, two (both operated) are located close to Wintershall Dea’s own operated Vega and Nova fields. The seven other new licences are located in the Norwegian Sea, where Wintershall Dea operates the Maria and Dvalin fields.
The Ministry awarded a total of 47 licences to 25 companies in the APA 2022 licensing round. The round comprises blocks in predefined areas in the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea.
Wintershall Dea licences in the APA 2022 round:
North Sea:
PL 248 K (40%) (operator)
PL 1100 C (20%)
PL 1149 B (40%) (operator)
PL 1181 (40%)
Norwegian Sea:
PL 159 H (40%)
PL 327 C (19%)
PL 1155 B (30%) (operator)
PL 1186 (20%)
PL 1187 (20%)
PL 1191 (30%)
PL 1195 (30%)
