Norwegian minister: Deepwater drilling on hold for new licensing round

Norway will not allow new drilling in the deepwater areas of the 21^st licensing round until there is sufficient knowledge about the Gulf of Mexico blowout and spill, “including possible implications for our regulation,” said Norwegian minister of petroleum and energy Terje Riis-Johansen on 8 June.

Although the ministry will move forward with the new licensing round, Mr Riis-Johansen emphasized the need for more knowledge about the Gulf incident before awarding new licenses. “The precautionary principle, combined with a predictable framework, have to be the foundation for our petroleum politics,” he said.