28/05/2020
We have been where no one has gone before. 3000 metres below sea level, on a subsea ridge, where warm, enriched water from the depths of the earth seeps out.
Robots meticulously picked through, rock by rock, searching for valuable minerals – which can be used in industry.
The objective of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate’s (NPD’s) expedition in the western Norwegian Sea was to map and determine which minerals can be found in the area. These minerals contain important elements used in, among other things, mobile phones, wind turbines and electric cars.
“Today’s technology is entirely dependent on these minerals, and discovering new deposits. The expedition was successful, and we’ve been able to acquire a large volume of data, which will now be analysed,” says NPD geologist Jan Stenløkk.
Stenløkk was part of the expedition.
Watch a video from the expedition with unique images from the depths of the ocean (2:30 minutes):
08/05/2024
The Ministry of Energy announced APA 2024 on 8 May 2024, encompassing the predefined areas with blocks in the Norwegian Sea, Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea.
06/05/2024
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has granted Aker BP ASA drilling permit for the wells 7324/6-2 and 7324/8-4 in production license 1170, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
30/04/2024
The Norwegian Ministry of Energy has received applications from eight companies in connection with the announcement of two areas in the North Sea for potential storage of CO2 on the Norwegian shelf.
29/04/2024
In a letter of 29 April, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate invited players to nominate blocks in connection with the first licensing round for mineral activities on the seabed.
29/04/2024
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has granted Equinor Energy AS drilling permit for wells 35/10-14 S and 35/10-14 A in production license 1185, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
22/04/2024
Equinor has completed an appraisal well (7324/7-4) on the Wisting discovery in the Barents Sea. The objective was to acquire data on the reservoir and cap rock, for use in ongoing evaluation and development of the discovery.
17/04/2024
In June 2022, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate published data collected up to 2022. The Directorate is now releasing deep sea data gathered from 2022 to 2024.
17/04/2024
The Johan Castberg ship will soon be heading north. With the ship in place, the plan is to have three producing fields in the Barents Sea by the end of the year.
17/04/2024
Vår Energi has made an oil discovery in "Ringhorne Nord" (wells 25/8-23 S and 25/8-23 A & B), north of the Ringhorne Øst field, 200 kilometres northwest of Stavanger.