Spirit Energy has been awarded seven new licences in the Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) round on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

Vaka Antonsdottir, Exploration Manager APA in Spirit Energy, said: “This is a great outcome for us. Winning new and attractive exploration acreage – particularly in areas with existing infrastructure – is an important part of our growth ambitions.”

Spirit will operate two of the licences the company was awarded in the latest licencing round on the NCS. The new licences are:

   - PL 969 B in the North Sea (Spirit 15%, Shell Operator)
   - PL 1007 B in the Norwegian Sea (Spirit 20%, DNO Operator)
   - PL 1049 C in the North Sea (Spirit 20%, Equinor Operator)
   - PL 1147 in the North Sea (Spirit 40% and Operator)
   - PL 1150 S in the North Sea (Spirit 40% and Operator)
   - PL 1158 in the Norwegian Sea (Spirit 20%, Aker BP Operator)
   - PL 1160 in the Norwegian Sea (Spirit 40%, DNO Operator)

Antonsdottir said: “Although many areas of the NCS can be classified as mature, I’m optimistic about the future exploration opportunities in Norway, particularly in the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea.”

According to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), last year, 20 new oil and gas discoveries were made in Norway. The NPD expects 30–40 new exploration wells to be drilled on the NCS in 2022.

Spirit Energy is partner in three exploration wells on the NCS this year. The first one, Melstein, is already completed and proved to be dry. The next two are Cambozola in the northern North Sea and Edinburgh in the southern North Sea, a Norway/UK cross-border prospect.

Antonsdottir said: “We have a strong exploration track record with recent discoveries such as Bergknapp, Lille Prinsen and Iris Hades, and will continue to explore for new oil and gas resources. New licences and the APA arrangement are important factors to maintain activity and continue creating value on the NCS.”

About Spirit Energy

- Spirit Energyirit Energy is an oil and gas exploration & production company with two shareholding entities: Centrica (69%), and Stadtwerke München GmbH SWM (31%).
- Operated and non-operated interests across the UK, Norway, and the Netherlands, with more than 30 producing fields and approx. 128 exploration licences (2020).
- 2020-production of 44.9 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe).
- Proven and probable (2P) reserves of 246 mmboe (2020).
- Total workforce of approx. 850.