Norway offered oil and gas companies 87 blocks in the mature areas of the Norwegian and the Barents seas on May 2, the oil and gas ministry said.

The offer includes 34 blocks in the Norwegian Sea and 53 blocks in the Barents Sea, the second-largest expansion so far of Norway's so-called predefined exploration areas, and the offer is in line with a preliminary plan presented in December 2016.

The application deadline was set to Sept. 1, and the ministry aims to award new licenses at the beginning of 2018.