Exploration licence PL973 was awarded in March 2019 to OKEA ASA as operator, together with Chrysaor Norge AS and Petoro AS, after a joint APA 2018 application by OKEA and Chrysaor. As part of the collaboration between OKEA and Chrysaor in the region, including the OKEA-operated Grevling and Storskrymten discoveries (PL038 D, PL974), it was agreed that Chrysaor would be proposed to take over operatorship of PL973, as soon as Chrysaor was pre-qualified as an operator on the NCS.
According to this agreement, OKEA submitted its resignation as operator to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy in July 2019 and the Management Committee of PL973 has since unanimously recommended Chrysaor Norge AS as the new operator of the licence. The process of appointing a new operator is now being handled by the Ministry and OKEA will continue as operator until the conclusion of that process.
OKEA will continue its focus on development of Grevling and Storskrymten as operator as well as being an active partner with Chrysaor and Petoro for the ongoing exploration activities in PL973.