Da søknadsfristen for tildeling i forhåndsdefinerte områder (TFO) 2016 gikk ut 6. september, hadde myndighetene mottatt søknader fra 33 selskaper.
Antallet søkere i TFO 2016 er likevel noe mindre enn i TFO 2015. Årsaken er fusjoner og strukturelle endringer i oljeselskapene.
Interessen er størst for Nordsjøen og Norskehavet.
Nå starter arbeidet med teknisk evaluering av søknadene. Oljedirektoratet vurderer også søkernes geologiske konsepter og strategi for utforskning av områdene.
Tildelingene er forventet tidlig 2017.
Selskapene som har søkt er:
A/S Norske Shell
BP Norge AS
Capricorn Norge AS
Centrica Resources (Norge) AS
Concedo ASA
ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS
DEA Norge AS
Det norske oljeselskap ASA
Edison Norge AS
ENGIE E&P Norge AS
Eni Norge AS
Faroe Petroleum Norge AS
Fortis Petroleum Norway AS
Grail North Sea Ltd
Idemitsu Petroleum Norge AS
Lotos Exploration & Production Norge AS
Lundin Norway AS
M Vest Energy AS
MOL Norge AS
North E&P AS
OMV (Norge) AS
Origo Exploration Norway AS
Petrolia NOCO AS
PGNiG Upstream International AS
Point Resources AS
Repsol Norge AS
Skagen 44 AS
Statoil Petroleum AS
Suncor Energy Norge AS
Total E&P Norge AS
VNG Norge AS
Wellesley Petroleum AS
Wintershall Norge AS
A/S Norske Shell
BP Norge AS
Capricorn Norge AS
Centrica Resources (Norge) AS
Concedo ASA
ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS
DEA Norge AS
Det norske oljeselskap ASA
Edison Norge AS
ENGIE E&P Norge AS
Eni Norge AS
Faroe Petroleum Norge AS
Fortis Petroleum Norway AS
Grail North Sea Ltd
Idemitsu Petroleum Norge AS
Lotos Exploration & Production Norge AS
Lundin Norway AS
M Vest Energy AS
MOL Norge AS
North E&P AS
OMV (Norge) AS
Origo Exploration Norway AS
Petrolia NOCO AS
PGNiG Upstream International AS
Point Resources AS
Repsol Norge AS
Skagen 44 AS
Statoil Petroleum AS
Suncor Energy Norge AS
Total E&P Norge AS
VNG Norge AS
Wellesley Petroleum AS
Wintershall Norge AS