Expansion plans for the giant Johan Sverdrup field, the so-called concept selection, will not be published before early 2014 and not - as previously announced - in the 4th quarter 2013, says Statoil in a brief to the stock exchange this morning.

"We have to finish work on the final framework and provide the individual companies with a chance to perform thorough preparations. But at the same time, the partners agree that the contract for preparatory work and the maturation of the field should be awarded as soon as possible," says Øyvind Reinertsen, senior vice president of the Johan Sverdrup field, in the brief.