Norwegian Petroleum Directorate: 26 companies apply for exploration acreage

The application deadline for production licences in the 23 licensing round expired on 2 December, and 26 companies had applied for exploration acreage by the end of the deadline.This licensing round comprises 57 announced blocks or parts of blocks, 3 of which are in the Norwegian Sea and 54 in the Barents Sea. 34 of the announced blocks are situated in the newly opened area in the south-eastern Barents Sea, and many of the applications target this acreage in particular.