Overview
- Fifty-seven production licences were offered to 19 companies on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, with 31 in the North Sea, 21 in the Norwegian Sea and five in the Barents Sea.
- Thirteen companies received operatorships as part of the Awards in Predefined Areas 2025 round overseen by the Ministry of Energy.
- Each licence carries an obligatory work programme designed to move prospects toward development or return acreage to the state.
- Major winners include Equinor, Aker BP, Vår Energi, DNO and the Norwegian units of ConocoPhillips, TotalEnergies, Harbour Energy and OMV.
- The Norwegian Offshore Directorate cautions that further exploration, discoveries and investment remain necessary despite the new awards and recent exploration success.