- BGG rank
- BGG #297
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Indonesia
- 2–5 players
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,775
- BGG rating
- 5.4
North Sea Oil
1974
Rules assistance for North Sea Oil
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for North Sea Oil
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
North Sea Oil is a board game released in 1974 for 2–6 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by R. C. P. Guignard and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Tile Placement, and Memory.
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About the game
Also known as Le Pétrole de la mer du Nord. There are 28 oil tiles that will be eventually placed on the 28 spaces. They vary in depth (three levels) and productivity (zero, small, medium and large deposits). Deeper deposits require bigger drilling rigs; the more expensive rig can go all the way down but could also be used in a shallower plot. The players can explore up to three plots per turn, and can open bidding on up to three plots per turn as well. Once purchased, a plot may be put into production by buying a rig for it or moving a rig (which costs money) from another plot --there is a limited number of rigs overall. Production is affected by weather (weather cards in a winter/spring/summer/fall cycle); the northern plots are more likely to be shut down by bad weather. Weather causes no production, half production or full production. Next, there are the fluctuations in the price of oil. Most of the time it is 4 $/bbl, but it can occasionally rise to 20 $/bbl. Finally, the party in power changes every turn and sets three rates: the interest rate on your debt (you have no money at all at the game outset and must borrow; roughly 5% to 20%), the tax rate on your income (zero to 75%!) and the tax rate on sales (moving rigs, selling rigs and plots to the bank or other players; also zero to 75%). You know which party is coming next turn, which does give you a rough idea of what to expect. A couple of the party cards cause nationalisation, which is bad news for you. First player to net $5 Million wins.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Copp Clark Publishing Company
- Omnia
Questions and answers
North Sea Oil supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for North Sea Oil is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists North Sea Oil for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
North Sea Oil has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
North Sea Oil belongs to these categories: Economic, Memory, and Industry / Manufacturing. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Tile Placement, and Memory. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of North Sea Oil are: R. C. P. Guignard. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists North Sea Oil as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.