The State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy hereby gives notice that an application has been received for authorisation to prospect for hydrocarbons in block segments A18b and B16c as indicated on the map appended as Annex 3 to the Mining Regulation (Mijnbouwregeling).

Block segment A18b is delimited by the great circles between vertex pairs A-B, B-C, C-D, D-E, E-F, F-G, G-H, H-I, I-J, J-K and K-A.

Block segment A18b covers an area of 237,5 km2.

The vertices are defined as follows:

Vertex	o	’	’’ E	o	’	’’ N
A	3	39	54,790	55	9	57,462
B	3	42	4,505	55	9	57,464
C	3	42	4,519	55	3	18,444
D	3	53	34,825	55	3	18,452
E	3	53	34,824	55	3	42,459
F	3	54	56,465	55	7	32,516
G	3	53	29,722	55	8	38,575
H	3	53	29,811	55	9	57,472
I	3	59	54,820	55	9	57,476
J	3	59	54,842	54	59	57,456
K	3	39	54,811	54	59	57,442

Block segment B16c is delimited by the great circles between vertex pairs L-M, M-N, N-O, O-P and P-L.

Block segment B16c covers an area of 129,8 km2.

The vertices are defined as follows:

Vertex	o	’	’’ E	o	’	’’ N
L	4	10	24,837	55	9	57,484
M	4	19	54,851	55	9	57,491
N	4	19	54,862	55	4	57,480
O	3	59	54,831	55	4	57,466
P	4	3	30,970	55	5	10,367

The above vertices are defined by their geographical coordinates, calculated according to the ETRS89 system.

With reference to the Directive referred to in the preamble and Article 15 of the Mining Act (Mijnbouwwet), the State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy hereby invites interested parties to submit a competing application for authorisation to prospect for hydrocarbons in block segments A18b and B16c of the Dutch continental shelf.

The State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy is the competent authority for the granting of authorisations. The criteria, conditions and requirements referred to in Articles 5(1) and (2) and 6(2) of the above-mentioned Directive are set out in the Mining Act.

Applications may be submitted during the 13 weeks following the publication of this notice in the Official Journal of the European Union and should be sent to:

Email: mijnbouwvergunningen@minezk.nl

The State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy

attn.: Mr J. Visser, Directorate for the Transition in the Use of Deep Underground Resources

Bezuidenhoutseweg 73

Postbus 20401,

2500 EK Den Haag

NETHERLANDS

Applications received after the expiry of this period will not be considered.

A decision on the applications will in principle be taken not later than 12 months after this period has expired.

Further information can be obtained by calling the MABEL office on the following telephone number: +31 703796970.