Petroleum-geological activities in 1992: preparation and support for licensing rounds offshore West Greenland

Abstract

On 26 March 1992 tile Danish Minister for Energy formally approved the opening of the first licensing round offshore West Greenland to be held since 1975. At the same time it was announced that this licensing round would be the first of three rounds to be held offshore West Greenland at 2–3 year intervals, the present round covering the area between 62° and 66°N and the future rounds areas to the north. Naturally, compilation and circulation of information directly related to the present licensing area was a high priority activity for the Geological Survey of Greenland (GGU) in the first part of the year. The information package 'Offshore West Greenland – Exploration Information', specially prepared by GGU for the licensing round, includes the folIowing items: reprints or preprints of four papers summarising the geology and known petroleum potential of the region, a short report on ice conditions in the licensing area. a bibliography, and catalogues of all seismic and well log data. In April a special issue of the GHEXIS Newsletter summarising Iicensing terms and explaining work requirements was sent out. and in May presentations were held in Copenhagen, London, Houston and Calgary. In all 29 oil companies and 19 consultancies and providers of technical services attended these presentations, at which the political-administrative framework and licensing terms were presented by the Mineral Resources Administration for Greenland, the geological setting and petroleum potential by GGU, and the logistics of exploration in GreenIand by Nunaoil A/S. In June another issue of the GHEXlS Newsletter was sent out in which the substance of the presentations was summarised, largely for the benefit of companies that had been unable to attend the meetings. Three companies visited GGU for individual presentations.