Choosing an education is one of the most important life choices we make. Education is crucial for our first job and for which opportunities open up later in life. And it's natural to choose an education based on your confidence in where future job opportunities lie.

That’s why it's important to clearly communicate that the petroleum industry truly represents jobs for the future.

There may be good reasons why young people don't want to educate themselves for a career in the petroleum industry. Some because they don't want to work in an industry that contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases – and to climate change.

At the same time, we're constantly reading about those who want to finish up the industry altogether. This creates uncertainty about the future.

Technology developed in the petroleum industry

Oil and gas will be needed for decades to come, although their share of the energy mix will decline. And these revenues, expertise and technology will ease our transition into the low-emission society. Many of the new industries are based on expertise and technology developed in the petroleum industry.

Examples of this include offshore wind, CCS, offshore mineral extraction and hydrogen production from natural gas. Norwegian petroleum policy is still supported by a parliamentary majority, alongside the objective of developing new energy industries.

Oil companies and the supplier industry are expanding their portfolios to utilise other energy resources. At the same time, the industry continues to produce oil and gas with increasingly lower greenhouse gas emissions and substantial revenues for the welfare state – which benefits us all.

One collective energy industry

Expertise has always been important, and was crucial in our major success in utilising our vast natural resources. We will continue to develop the Norwegian shelf and create values, both from petroleum activities and new, emerging profitable industries. We need motivated and skilled professionals to do this. And we need diverse expertise.

In the future, I don't think we'll have to choose between working in oil and gas, or renewable energy. The sectors will meld into a collective Norwegian energy industry. We should be proud of how we managed our natural resources to benefit the greater society.

I can't imagine a more exciting and future-oriented workplace than the Norwegian energy sector.

The comment was published in the Norwegian newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad May 7 2021.