Faroe Petroleum Plc Share News (FPM)

(ShareCast News) - Faroe Petroleum said it had been awarded six new Norwegian exploration licences.The independent oil and gas company said it won the licences, which include two operatorships, under the 2015 Norwegian APA (Awards in Pre-defined Areas) Licence Round on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.Chief executive Graham Stewart said the award would add further upside potential to Faroe's portfolio."Significantly, we have further consolidated our position in core areas of the Norwegian continental shelf in which we have enjoyed recent exploration success, enhancing our acreage positions near and around the greater Njord Areas and the Butch development project," he said."At this stage no well commitments have been offered and should we and our partners progress these toward exploration drilling, Faroe continues to benefit from the Norwegian tax system whereby 78% of all exploration related expenditure is eligible for a tax rebate in the following year.""Faroe has a material and exciting drilling programme in 2016; we are currently drilling the Kvalross exploration well in the Barents Sea and have two further firm wells in the Norwegian Sea later in the year.""Coupled with strong production, a solid cash position and largely un-utilised credit facilities we are confident in our ability to take advantage of opportunities which the current depressed oil price environment presents."