Barents comes into focus for Norway

There's a lot more gas and oil to be found in the Norwegian Arctic, if the explorers can be persuaded to look for it

Norway is pinning its hopes for the future of its hydrocarbons industry on the Barents Sea. Nine of the 12 exploration licences issued in its 24th Licensing Round are in the Barents, while the government is keen to stress the hydrocarbons potential of newly-surveyed parts of the Arctic region. The licensing round, whose outcome was announced on June 18, resulted in seven licenses being awarded in the northern Barents—two operated by Aker BP, two by Spirit and one each by Equinor, OMV and Lundin. Two licences in the southern Barents both went to Equinor. Two of three licences awards in the Norwegian Sea are to be operated by Equinor with the other going to a Shell-led group. The Barents focus