Mapping of Lofoten completed
The Norwegian Petroluem Directorate has completed the seismic mapping of the waters outside Lofoten, northern Norway.
The directorate has spent three years on the mapping of the area which is believed to hide major hydrocarbon resources. The seismic studies conducted by the “Geo Pacific” was completed on Thursday morning this week, Oilinfo.no reports.
The petroleum mapping of the Lofoten waters has been controversial and triggered protests both from the fish industry and for environmentalists. The results of the mapping will be of major importance for the government which next year is to complete the elaboration of an updated management plan for the Lofoten area and the Barents Sea.
The results of the mapping is now being handed over to the Ministry of Oil and Energy, directorate leader Sissel Eriksen says in a press release.
The oil resources outside Lofoten is a hot political potato, which is high on the agenda in the current parliament election campaign in Norway. Junior partner in the current government coalition, the Socialist Left Party, insists that no oil drilling should be started in the vulnerable northern waters.
