The Norwegian authorities are offering Aker BP ownership interest in 19 exploration licenses on the Norwegian continental shelf in the APA 2024 licensing round. For 16 of the licenses Aker BP is also granted operatorship. The award consolidates our position as the most active independent exploration company on the NCS. 

"We are very pleased with the award that was announced today. It reflects a comprehensive application and gives us a foundation for maintaining our growth ambition on the Norwegian continental shelf and our ambitious exploration strategy. Phasing in oil and gas from new discoveries will be crucial to ensuring long-term activity on the shelf, says Per Øyvind Seljebotn, SVP Exploration and Reservoir Development in Aker BP. 

Aker BP is offered licenses in the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea. West of Yggdrasil, Aker BP is offered operatorship on the former Frigg field, where the partnership plans to drill an exploration well already in Q2 2025.  

"Although the shelf is maturing, we manage to continuously identify new opportunities. Leveraging new technology, digitalization and investments in new data are crucial for creating good exploration opportunities for many years to come and ensuring growth and innovation in our sector. Our strategy is to have a portfolio of exploration licenses that provides a good balance between exploration wells near existing fields and infrastructure, and wells that, if successful, can form the basis for standalone developments, says Seljebotn. 

APA - Awards in Predefined Areas, is the annual licensing round that includes mature areas of the Norwegian continental shelf. These are areas with known geology and a relatively well-developed infrastructure with production facilities and pipelines. 

The award in TFO 2024 was announced by Minister of Energy Terje Aasland at the Oil and Energy Policy Seminar in Sandefjord today. 20 companies were offered ownership interest in a total of 53 licenses. 

Link to the press release from the Ministry of Energy