Seventy New Blocks and One Clear Message from Norway

APA 2026 opens 70 NCS exploration blocks across three basins, with applications due September 2026 and licences expected in early 2027

21 May 2026

Norway just launched its most expansive offshore licensing round in years. On 5 May 2026, the Ministry of Energy announced APA 2026, adding 70 new exploration blocks across the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, and Barents Sea, with applications closing 1 September 2026 and new production licences expected in early 2027.

The 70 blocks span all three basins, with the Barents Sea claiming the largest share at 38, followed by the North Sea with 22 and the Norwegian Sea with ten. Most target smaller, infrastructure-adjacent discoveries suited to the tieback model now dominant across Norwegian waters.

Absorbed into APA 2026 is the acreage previously earmarked for a separate 26th licensing round, which will not proceed this year. That consolidation folds Norway's exploration access into a single, predictable annual pathway, a structural decision as significant as the block count itself.

Energy Minister Terje Aasland was direct: consistent licensing rounds and stable frameworks sit at the core of Norway's petroleum policy. For operators allocating capital across the NCS, that kind of regulatory predictability is a competitive advantage in itself.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre widened the stakes further, linking the announcement to continental energy security. Since 2022, European nations have leaned hard on Norwegian supply, and that strategic framing carries real weight for both operators and policymakers.

For incumbents on the NCS, the round delivers incremental, low-risk acreage next to producing assets. New entrants gain a structured pathway through APA's pre-qualification process, with the Norwegian Offshore Directorate overseeing applications before final awards. Norway's licensing framework ranks among the world's most stable. With 70 blocks on the table and September closing in fast, APA 2026 sets up the NCS for its most active exploration cycle in over a decade.