Norwegian Continental Shelf No. 2 - 2018

BENTE NYLAND, DIRECTOR GENERAL: The Aasta Hansteen gas field began production on 16 December as the first development in the northern Norwegian Sea. At the same time, the new Polarled pipeline began carrying natural gas to Nyhamna near Ålesund for export to European customers. All this opens new opportunities in the area around Aasta Hansteen and Polarled.

BJØRN RASEN: Being part of the Norwegian oil and gas industry is a source of great pride to Kristin Færøvik. “I’m proud of what this industry achieves every single day, and of the continuous contribution we make to Norwegian prosperity,” affirms the chair of the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association. “Quite a few people – who’re familiar with economics and know better – fail to mention this when they deliver a speech. That probably reflects Norway’s negatively charged public debate on oil and climate.”

ALEXEY DERYABIN: Sulphide minerals play a major part in the everyday life of a modern human. They are the source of industrial metals which get mobile phones, computers and electric cars to function.

PETTER OSMUNDSEN, PROFESSOR OF PETROLEUM ECONOMICS, UNIVERSITY OF STAVANGER: Whether Norway’s petroleum industry is particularly vulnerable to climate risk represents a pertinent question today. If so, should the government work to reduce this exposure? Moreover, does a danger of overinvestment exist on the NCS – and does the Barents Sea pose a particular climate risk?

ELDBJØRG VAAGE MELBERG: A TV series about the beginnings of Norway’s oil industry has finally been seen in Norwegian homes after winning prizes and praise abroad. And Mette Bølstad, scriptwriter for Lykkeland – or State of Happiness – has material for several seasons more.

BJØRN VIDAR LERØEN: Geologist Eva Halland used to explore for petroleum. She is now looking for opportunities to capture, transport, store and utilise carbon dioxide. Halland heads the NPD’s project for CO2 deposition, which is fundamentally about keeping the planet clean so that it remains habitable and provides humans with a good life. “We must adjust ourselves to becoming pollution-free,” she affirms.

BJØRN RASEN: Valuable oil samples from virtually every field and discovery on the NCS are stored behind a heavy metal door in the NPD’s basement, in temperatures down to -25°C. A few drops at a time for analysis can be provided on request to aid the hunt for petroleum. The NPD’s rock store has quite a reputation. Cores from almost all the wells drilled on the NCS are contained in wooden boxes in something which resembles an Ikea layout.

BJØRN VIDAR LERØEN: Oil nation Norway needs a gas strategy – at least if the country is to maintain the positions built up in the European market since its first deliveries came ashore in Germany during 1977.

RUNE SOLHEIM: They can agree on good strategies, and their output ambitions for Alvheim have more than doubled from an initial 175 million barrels. That is why the licensees for this North Sea field won the NPD’s improved oil recovery (IOR) prize for 2018.