The Terra Nova production vessel off the coast of Canada. (Photo: Manfred Jarisch)

The licenses include a Significant Discovery License (SDL) and three exploration licenses offshore Newfoundland, and were awarded in an area sale organized by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB).

Tim Dodson, Statoil’s director of global exploration.

– We are very pleased to have successfully secured new licenses in the offshore area off Newfoundland, says Tim Dodson, Director of Global Exploration at Statoil.

– These new licenses provide opportunities for future growth near the Mizzen discovery in the Flemish Pass basin and near existing infrastructure in the Jeanne d’Arc basin, in addition to frontier opportunities in new areas in a basin promising. We look forward to exploring them with our partners and in close cooperation with the authorities, he said.

Statoil has obtained the following licenses:

• An SDL, which is an extension of the Mizzen license in which Statoil already holds shares. Statoil is the operator with a 65 percent share and Husky Energy is a partner.
• Two exploration permits in the Flemish Pass Basin and Central Ridge region, located approximately 500 kilometers offshore Newfoundland. Statoil is the operator of the license located near the Mizzen discovery with a 65 percent interest and Husky Energy is a partner. The permit located in the northern part of the Flemish Pass basin will also be operated by Statoil with a 75 percent interest and with Repsol E&P Canada Ltd as partner.
• An exploration permit located in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin, approximately 250 kilometres offshore Newfoundland. Statoil Canada holds a 50 per cent interest and Husky Energy is the operator.

Hege Rognø, Head of Statoil’s Offshore Operations in Canada

– This is another step forward for Statoil in the development and expansion of our exploration portfolio offshore Canada. It demonstrates our commitment to exploring the region and our ambition to become the operator of a producing field offshore Newfoundland, said Hege Rognø, who heads Statoil’s offshore operations in Canada.

Statoil is a partner in the Ballicatter well drilling in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin, operated by Suncor Energy. As operator, Statoil plans to drill a well on the Mizzen discovery in the Flemish Pass Basin and a well on the Fiddlehead permit in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin in 2011/2012.

Statoil is also a partner in two producing offshore fields, Terra Nova and Hibernia, as well as in the development of the Hibernia Southern Extension and Hebron fields.