Communication from the Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands pursuant to Article 3(2) of Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons

(2021/C 231/03)

The Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy hereby gives notice that an application has been received for authorisation to prospect for hydrocarbons in block segments P12b and Q13b and block Q14 as indicated on the map appended as Annex 3 to the Mining Regulation (Mijnbouwregeling).

Block segment P12b is delimited by the block boundary between vertex pairs A-B, B-C and C-D and the great circles between vertex pairs D-E, E-F, F-G and A-G.

Block segment P12b covers an area of 160,8 km2.

The vertices are defined as follows:

Vertex o ’ ‘’ E o ’ ‘’ N A 3 50 1,125 52 29 57,155 B 3 59 55,139 52 29 57,162 C 3 59 55,158 52 19 57,143 D 3 55 45,152 52 19 57,140 E 3 55 45,150 52 20 52,142 F 3 55 45,147 52 22 37,146 G 3 50 1,134 52 25 7,465

Block segment Q13b is delimited by the block boundary between vertex pairs A-B, B-C, D-E and A-I, the great circles between vertex pairs E-F, F-G, G-H and H-I and the line defined in the annex to the Mining Act (Mijnbouwwet), between the intersection of that line with the great circle through vertices B and C and its intersection with the great circle through vertices D and E. The aforementioned intersections are located approximately at vertices C and D.

Block segment Q13b covers an area of 321,3 km2.

The vertices are defined as follows:

Vertex o ’ ‘’ E o ’ ‘’ N A 3 59 55,158 52 19 57,143 B 4 19 55,187 52 19 57,157 C (*1) 4 19 55,196 52 14 29,530 D (*1) 4 14 44,300 52 9 57,135 E 4 10 55,192 52 9 57,132 F 4 10 55,189 52 11 27,135 G 4 6 55,179 52 13 42,137 H 4 4 59,387 52 12 21,079 I 3 59 55,166 52 15 15,385

Block Q14 is indicated on the map appended as Annex 3 to the Mining Regulation (Government Gazette (Staatscourant) 2014, No 4928).

Block Q14 covers an area of 24,3 km2.

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, the Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy hereby invites interested parties to submit a competing application for authorisation to prospect for hydrocarbons in block segments P12b and Q13b and block Q14 of the Dutch continental shelf.

The Minister 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 Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy attn.: Mr J.L. Rosch, Energy and Environment Directorate Bezuidenhoutseweg 73 Postbus 20401 2500 EK Den Haag NEDERLAND

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 Ms E. Aygün on the following Tel. +31 611223780.

(*1) Approximate location