The shelf in 2006 - New players
05/01/2007 A total of 16 new companies were pre-qualified as licensees or operators on the Norwegian shelf in 2006. Another ten companies were being evaluated at year-end.
The arrangement whereby companies can be pre-qualified as licensees or operators was introduced as a consequence of the authorities' wish to bring competent new players on to the Norwegian continental shelf.
Twelve companies were pre-qualified as licensees in 2006:
Mitsubishi, Discover, PA Resources, Ener Petroleum, Faroe Petroleum, Edison, Serica, Rocksource, Noreco, VNG, Bridge Energy, Aker Exploration
Five companies were pre-qualified as operators in 2006:
OMV, Hunt Oil, Nexen, Petro-Canada, Noreco.
Noreco was first pre-qualified as licensee, and subsequently also as operator.
A total of 40 companies have been pre-qualified since the arrangement started in 2000. 22 of these are pre-qualified as operators, while 18 are pre-qualified as licensees.
The system was set up to provide companies with an opportunity to evaluate their suitability for participation on the Norwegian continental shelf before the companies invest resources on considering specific business opportunities.
The system is also used if the authorities find it necessary to conduct a new review/re-qualification of companies that are currently low-activity licensees/operators but want to increase their activities.
At year-end, 13 companies were being considered; four of which are seeking pre-qualification as operator. The companies undergoing evaluation are:
Oilexo, Premier Oil, Pioner, E.ON Ruhrgas, genesis Petroleum, Skagen 44, Bow Valley Energy, Petrofac, Flying high, PGNiG, Dana petroleum, Concedo and BayernGas.
Updated: 04/09/2009