Offshore staff
COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Denmark’s government aims to initiate the company’s 7th licensing round in 2013.
As before, the 7th round will take in the offshore area west of 6° 15’ eastern longitude. The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) will conduct a strategic environmental assessment of the proposed blocks, of which the results will be taken into account when drafting the terms and conditions.
Although the licensing round area is mature, DEA points out that there are still numerous exploration targets that have not been intensively explored. The focus in recent years has been on the Late-Mid Jurassic sandstone. The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland has launched a project to investigate Jurassic exploration potential.
However, younger parts of these strata may also contain worthwhile prospects. Several oil companies are evaluating discoveries in Paleogene-age strata just above the chalk and in the younger Neogene-age strata.
Additionally, DEA plans to invite applications for a “mini-licensing” round covering a limited area around the producingSiri and Nini fields in the North Sea. Last year DEA received an uninvited application for a license to explore for and produce hydrocarbons in this area. The Ministry wishes to make use of and prolong the existing local production infrastructure through discovery and development of more tie-in prospects.
The 6th round was in 2005‐2006. Fourteen licenses were issued, with a high level of resultant exploration activity, according to DEA. Some of those permits have been relinquished, but some discoveries are being evaluated and additional exploration is being performed.
6/6/2012
