Norway awards 57 offshore exploration licenses in latest APA round
The Norwegian Ministry of Energy has offered 57 new production licenses to 19 companies on the Norwegian Continental Shelf under the APA 2025 (Awards in Predefined Areas) licensing round, as the country moves to slow an expected decline in oil and gas output and sustain energy deliveries to Europe.
The licenses span Norway’s three main offshore regions, with 31 awards in the North Sea, 21 in the Norwegian Sea, and five in the Barents Sea. All licenses carry binding work programs requiring either active maturation or relinquishment back to the state.
“Norway is Europe’s most important energy supplier, but in a few years production will begin to decline,” said Terje Aasland, Norway’s minister of energy. “Therefore, we need new projects that can slow the decline and deliver as much production as possible.”
According to the ministry, 13 of the 19 companies awarded acreage were granted one or more operatorships. The APA system is designed to promote continued exploration and development in mature areas before existing offshore infrastructure is retired, ensuring efficient resource recovery and value creation.
The APA 2025 round attracted applications from 20 companies following its formal announcement in May 2025, with the ministry finalizing awards after technical and commercial evaluation of submissions.
Among the largest recipients were Equinor, Aker BP, DNO, Vår Energi, and Harbour Energy, alongside a mix of international and independent operators active on the shelf.
See also: DNO wins 17 licenses in Norway’s APA round, maintaining rapid exploration pace
Norway introduced the APA licensing framework in 2003 to provide predictability and maintain exploration momentum in mature basins. Today, the APA area covers most of the opened and available acreage on the Norwegian continental shelf and is expanded annually based on geological maturity and infrastructure considerations.
The ministry said the latest awards are intended to support continued offshore investment, employment, and long-term energy security for Norway and Europe.
See also: Equinor awarded 35 new APA production licenses on Norway’s Continental Shelf
Pictured above: Equinor's Johan Castberg field.
