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The petroleum industry

During the last 35 years, Norway has become a major exporter of oil products.

Known oil and gas reserves represent between 1.5% and 5% of the worlds reserves. This industry started in the North Sea at the end of the 1960s. Operations spread along the coast, and today, the majority of exploratory drilling is undertaken from Trøndelag northwards. Whilst 80% of the total estimated resources in the North Sea have been established, the corresponding figures for Central Norway and North Norway are 33% and 17% respectively.

In the Green Arctic, we are just commencing extraction, and are able to look to the future with optimism. Finds on the Norwegian continental shelf comprise both oil and gas, and the proportion of gas seems to increase the farther north we travel. Gas comprises 97% of known reserves in the Barents Sea, but it is too early to say how this will affect development in the region.

On board the Ross Rig. Photo: Røe.

All petroleum finds have been made on the Norwegian continental shelf out at sea, making petroleum operations a coastal industry. This has led to optimism and growth, but it can also lead to competition with traditional coastal industry. Moreover, petroleum activities could have a serious effect on the environment. After all, we are talking about some of the worldís richest fishing grounds. Long, hard winters also represent new, and to a certain degree, unknown challenges. A moderate development schedule and strict safety regulations have meant that we have managed to avoid any major conflicts so far.

A drilling vessel, Sandnessjøen. Photo: Johansen

Extraction has already been sanctioned at Haltenbanken off North Trøndelag. Statoilís operational headquarters at Stjørdal and the resulting need for suppliers have provided new job opportunities. These are in addition to those already provided by Aker Verdal, one of Europeís largest producers of offshore oil installations. Along the Helgeland coast, Brønnøysund and Sandnessjøen together form Oil base Helgeland. Work is underway here to develop an effective supply industry. Farther north, Harstad and Hammerfest have been chosen as centres for oil and gas operations in the northernmost region.

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