Norway plans to open a record number of blocks in the Arctic for hydrocarbon exploration, the government announced today, quoted by BTA.

The news was sharply criticized by environmentalists.

The Scandinavian country, already Europe's biggest supplier of natural gas and a major oil producer, has 92 exploration blocks on offer, an unprecedented 78 of them in the Barents Sea in the Far North.

Another 14 are located in the Norwegian Sea, very close to the Arctic Circle.

"It is necessary to discover new deposits in order to continue developing the Norwegian shelf," Petroleum and Energy Minister Terje Aasland said in a communique. 

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"It is important both for Europe and for the country and the relevant regions to facilitate new exploration in the north," he added

The news was announced within the framework of the procedure for the annual distribution of oil licenses in the so-called "mature" areas, that is, areas that have already been extensively explored.

Under an agreement reached in November with the Socialist Left Party, the centre-left government, which has a minority in parliament, will not allow exploration in "virgin" areas until 2025.  

The proposals presented today will be subject to public consultation. 

"The government is preparing a huge and extremely aggressive set of concessions when the UN and the International Energy Agency (IEA) make it clear that there is no room for oil exploration if we are to meet climate targets," said Truls Gulovsen, head of the Norwegian division of "Friends of the Earth".

The non-governmental organization is particularly outraged by the fact that some blocks are located "around 10 kilometers from existing infrastructure sites" and sees the possibility that the commitment not to expand in virgin areas will not be respected.

However, the populist right, which defends the oil sector, said it was a "tactical play" by the government, which is likely to make concessions in future negotiations with the Socialist Left Party.

Oil companies will have to submit their applications in the third quarter, and the final distribution of licenses is scheduled for January 2024. 

Norway

Arctic

hydrocarbons