Oljedirektoratet

The Shelf in 2005 - New players

12/01/2006 A total of nine new companies were pre-qualified during 2005 as licensees or operators on the Norwegian shelf.  At year-end, another ten companies were under consideration.

The pre-qualification system for licensees or operators was established because the authorities wanted to bring in new, competent players to the Norwegian continental shelf.

Nine new companies were pre-qualified during 2005, five as operators (o) and five as licensees (r).

Pre-qualified in 2005

  • Altinex Oil, (r)  Norway
  • Premier Oil, (r) Great Britain
  • Marubeni, (r) Japan
  • Noreco, (r) Norway
  • Petro Canada, (o) Canada
  • Pertra, (o) Norway
  • Revus, (o) Norway
  • Idemitsu, (o) Japan
  • Endeavour, (o) USA


A total of 34 companies have been pre-qualified since the system was established in year 2000.  Of these, 23 have pre-qualified as operators, while 11 have pre-qualified as licensees.

This system was established in order to provide the companies with the opportunity to have their suitability for participation on the Norwegian continental shelf evaluated prior to their spending time and money on evaluating specific business opportunities.

In addition, this system is used if the authorities find it necessary to implement a new review/re-qualification of companies that are licensees/operators at present, but with low levels of activities and wishing to increase their activities.

At year-end ten companies were being assessed, of which three have applied for pre-qualification as operators.

Companies under assessment:

  • Mitsubishi, (r) Japan
  • PA Resources, (r) Sweden
  • Discover Petroleum, (r) Norway
  • Serica, (r) Great Britain
  • Ener Petroleum, (r) Norway
  • Faroe Petroleum, (r) The Faroe Islands
  • Oil Exco, (r) Canada
  • Nexen, (o) Canada
  • Hunt Oil, (o) USA
  • OMV, (o) Austria

Contact in the NPD:
Ståle Thorsen, tel. +47 51 87 63 54

Updated: 04/09/2009

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