Norway’s Ministry of Energy has presented a proposal for the announcement of the first licencing round for seabed minerals on the Norwegian continental shelf for public consultation.
The proposal sets out the areas where the companies will be able to apply for exploitation licences, so that exploration and gathering knowledge about whether there is a basis for sustainable mineral exploitation on the Norwegian shelf can begin.
‘The world needs minerals for the green transition, and the government wants to explore if it is possible to extract seabed minerals in a sustainable manner from the Norwegian continental shelf. A large majority of the Norwegian Parliament supports the government’s step-by-step approach to the management of seabed minerals. This announcement is an important next step in the management of our seabed mineral resources. Environmental considerations are taken into account in all stages of the activities. Today, we are presenting our proposal for areas to be announced in the first licencing round for seabed minerals for public consultation. We plan to award licences in the first half of 2025’, said Minister of Energy Terje Aasland.
The government presented a proposal for opening an area and a management strategy for seabed mineral activities for the Norwegian Parliament in June 2023 (Report to the Storting (White Paper) no. 25 (2022-2023). A large majority in the Norwegian Parliament endorsed the government’s proposal to open an area on the Norwegian continental shelf for seabed mineral activities and the main lines of the management strategy. On the basis of this, the King in Council decided to formally open an area in the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea for mineral activities on 12 April 2024.
‘Access to minerals is crucial to ensure that the world succeeds with the transition to a low-emission society. Minerals from the Norwegian seabed can become a source to meet parts of this demand. Norway’s long experience with responsible and sustainable management of ocean-based resources, makes us well positioned to take the lead and manage these resources in a responsible and sustainable manner’, added Aasland.
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate was given the task of preparing a proposal for which parts of the opened area should be made available for applications in the first licencing round. During this process, the Directorate has received input from the industry to clarify which areas are more interesting to explore. The proposal which is now presented for public consultation is based on the proposal from the Norwegian Offshore Directorate. The area in the proposal constitutes 386 blocks and approximately 38% of the area which was opened in April.