Nearly 40 companies have applied for new production licences on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, indicating there is still considerable interest in the sector according to country's petroleum directorate.
Norway's 23rd licensing round has attracted 26 companies keen to explore in the Barents Sea.
Norwegian energy giant Statoil has announced the completion of its 482km Polarled pipeline, the deepest on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Aberdeen-based Faroe Petroleum, the independent oil and gas company, has spudded its latest exploration well on the Blink prospect.
Statoil and partners have put the first subsea gas compression facility in the world on line at Åsgard in the Norwegian Sea.
Faroe Petroleum has commenced drilling of an exploration well in the Norwegian Sea. The independent oil and gas explorer holds a 20% share in the Portrush well located in licence PL793. Faroe said the well, which is 10km from the Statoil-operated Njord field and 20km west of the Shell-operated Njord field, will target prospective resources along the Vingleia fault .
The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has called for a number of improvements to be made after a roustabout was injured on the Transocean Barents drilling unit. The incident, which happened in March this year, left the worker with injuries to his head, neck and back. He had been carrying out an inspection of the derrick when the accident happened.
Statoil has been given a deadline by the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) in Norway over a number of non-conformities and improvement points on the Heidmal gas processing platform in the North Sea. The list also includes the risk of ignition from the platform. The company has until August 24th to report on improvements it has made since the routine audit took place in June.
Energy firm Noreco said no hydrocarbons were encountered at the Haribo exploration well. The company said the well will now be plugged and abandoned.