Norway to evaluate impact of far north exploration
Oct. 10, 2011
Norway’s government plans to allocate funds in 2012 to help develop oil and gas activities in the country’s far northern offshore.
Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway – Norway’s government plans to allocate funds in 2012 to help develop oil and gas activities in the country’s far northern offshore.
According to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), the fiscal budget proposes a total of $14.6 million for acquisition of seismic in the Nordland IV and V regions, knowledge acquisition in the northeastern Norwegian Sea, and impact assessments for Jan Mayen, and the southeastern Barents Sea.
There are further plans next year to spend $17.4 million on seismic acquisition of seismic at Jan Mayen and $13.9 million on seismic in the southeastern Barents Sea.
These are largely a follow-up of the management plan for the Barents Sea and the areas off Lofoten, which was submitted this spring.
The mapping programs will clarify the resource basis in the two areas. As NPD points out, the potential for petroleum activity impacts the decision process when considering whether to open the areas.
Funds have also been promised for assessing the consequences of petroleum activity in these areas.
The government also wants to facilitate purchase of seismic data that has already been acquired.
