15 February 2014, Oslo – Norway plans to offer oil firms a total of 61 blocks for oil and gas exploration in the 23rd licensing round on its continental shelf, the country’s oil and energy ministry said on Friday.
Thirty-four blocks are in the south east part of the Arctic Barents Sea, 20 are in other parts of the Barents Sea, while the remaining seven are in the Norwegian Sea, it said.
On Jan. 21, the ministry said oil firms had nominated a total of 160 blocks for the 23rd round. It is common for the ministry to offer fewer blocks than requested by the oil firms. The actual awards will be made at a later stage.
– Reuters
