Eight MPs from the Progress Party, Conservative Party, Centre Party and others have introduced a private member's bill to strengthen petroleum operations on the Norwegian continental shelf. The proposals ask the government to launch the 26th licensing round, reopen previously opened areas, increase exploration in the Barents Sea, and streamline regulatory conditions for the oil industry. A majority in the energy and environment committee supports the importance of petroleum activity for the Norwegian economy and employment, while left-wing and green party members oppose the plans, citing the Paris Agreement and expected declining demand for gas.
AI-generated summary · Model: Claude Haiku 4.5 · Generated: 14 May 2026
These are the proposals in the document, not decisions. See the votes for the outcome.
Parliament asks the government to launch the 26th licensing round as soon as possible and no later than the end of 2026, and resume the practice of regular licensing rounds.
Parliament asks the government to open previously opened areas in Nordland VI and include them in the 26th licensing round.
Parliament asks the government to open the previously opened Møre blocks and include them in the 26th licensing round.
Parliament asks the government to open previously opened areas in Skagerrak and include them in the 26th licensing round.
Parliament asks the government to expand the pre-defined areas (TFO), reinstate blocks that were excluded during budget negotiations in recent years, and open more blocks for exploration and extraction, including all available acreage in TFO rounds.
Parliament asks the government to return to Parliament in the revised national budget for 2026 with proposals to increase funding for the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate for greater exploration and mapping of the Norwegian continental shelf—particularly in areas currently closed to oil companies.
Parliament asks the government to begin collecting seismic data for the Barents Sea north for petroleum companies, with the aim of reducing risk and increasing activity in the region.
Parliament asks the government to study reintroducing the exploration tax relief scheme or a similar model as a supplement to the cash flow model, and to study other tax arrangements and conditions that could boost exploration activity and the number of companies on the shelf. The government is also asked to conduct a cost-benefit analysis comparing the previous exploration relief scheme to current solutions.
Parliament asks the government to accelerate work on developing an export solution for gas from the Barents Sea to enable increased exploration and gas exports from the region.
Parliament asks the government to engage in dialogue with the EU on a joint financing solution for gas infrastructure from the Barents Sea to Europe.
Parliament asks the government to ensure that the defined ice-edge zone is dynamic, so that new areas that become practically available can be opened for new activity.
Parliament asks the government to conduct environmental impact assessments for Troms II, Nordland VII, and the unassessed parts of Nordland VI, Mørebanken and Barents Sea North for opening to oil and gas production.
Parliament asks the government to study the possibility of building gas-fired power plants on land or offshore to provide self-sufficient power generation for offshore fields.
Parliament asks the government to develop a regulatory framework allowing licenses to be granted to individual companies in cooperation with Petoro, as this could reduce exploration risk and encourage increased exploration activity.
Parliament asks the government, through Petoro, to actively manage its portfolio by divesting from fields that could be developed better and create greater value for Norway under different ownership.
Parliament asks the government to return to Parliament with an account of the status and assessment of the consequences of the EFTA Court's ruling in case E-6/25, concerning whether the EEA Agreement applies to activities on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Parliament asks the government to study measures to ensure better utilization of existing licenses and to propose steps that shorten the time from exploration license to development, and to return to Parliament when presenting the petroleum report.
Parliament asks the government to negotiate with the EU to ensure that petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf are not covered by the EEA Agreement.
Parliament asks the government to present a new oil activity package to counter production decline and enable more development of discoveries on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Parliament asks the government to open the way for Norwegian oil industry presence in the Barents Sea north from a security and emergency preparedness perspective.
Parliament asks the government to propose a process allowing oil companies seeking access to new areas to apply directly without a separate licensing or concession round.
Parliament asks the government to review and ensure that subordinate agencies do not impose stricter rules on the oil industry than those decided by the ministry and Parliament.
Parliament asks the government to review regulations that hinder data collection from reservoirs and consider easing restrictions.
Parliament asks the government to review processes, requirements and reporting obligations with the aim of reducing bureaucracy, time-consuming and costly reporting obligations, and costs associated with developing infrastructure.
Parliament asks the government to promptly revise all management plans for Norwegian sea areas with the aim of reducing restrictions that prevent extraction of petroleum resources.
Parliament asks the government to review other areas currently closed to oil companies, with the aim of facilitating increased production on the shelf.