The biggest interest in Norway’s latest licensing round has been in the Barents Sea, which is a very attractive exploration province.

The company is focusing more on deep water, tight gas, and shale gas as its divestiture plan continues.

Twenty-two blocks in five basins are being selected currently for Peru’s next leasing round, which should open by the end of 2012.

Statoil was the top bidder in a wide-ranging lease sale in the Central Gulf of Mexico. Now the real work begins.

Norway’s Statoil has significantly stepped up its pace in the United States and Canada in recent times, as it executes its strategy of building up North America into a core area for the state-owned operator.

With production down, Bolivia is offering 15 blocks in five geological provinces in its 2012 licensing round.

WesternGeco banks on improved seismic acquisition and imaging technologies to support operators in leasing programs.

The first phase of Algeria’s shale gas exploration involved defining the resource. Sonatrach expects to drill its first shale well in the second half 2012.

Turkey warned off oil companies participating in the bidding round for tracts offshore Greek Cyprus and spudded an onshore well in the Turkish-controlled region of Cyprus.

The newest bid round by Trinidad & Tobago corrects some unfavorable contract terms from earlier rounds.  At least 20 bids for six blocks have been received.