A collaboration deal focused on securing new blocks off Norway was signed today by Statoil, Mobil and Saga Petroleum.
This agreement covers joint evaluation and application for offshore acreage in future licensing rounds in three large areas of the central and northern Norwegian North Sea.
Other deals have been signed with several licensee groups on assessing and possibly applying for supplementary acreage around existing offshore infrastructure.
The areas covered by these agreements are interesting because they coincide with Statoil's core areas, reports Tor Fjæran, senior vice president for Exploration & Development Norway.
In the Norwegian North Sea, this targeted acreage embraces the Sleipner and Troll-Oseberg areas as well as the Tampen region - which includes the Statfjord and Gullfaks fields.
Statoil has also designated the Halten Bank/Dønna region in the Norwegian Sea, covering the Heidrun, Norne and Åsgard fields, as a core area.
The aim of the collaboration deal, which runs initially for five years, is to prepare applications jointly and thereby become more competitive in seeking new licences off Norway.
"We've picked partners which offer solid technical strength, good relations with the Norwegian authorities and the ability to cooperate as well as exploration strategies close to ours," says Mr Fjæran.