The first US - Norway Oil and Gas Industry Summit was in Houston March 2-3. His Majesty Kong Harald V greeted the Summit during the Royal visit to Houston. The summit attracted high level speakers from both countries.
"I am convinced that the Royal visit and the Summit will enable us to expand the partnership between US and Norwegian companies, research institutions, and academia," says Dr. Gulbrand Wangen, managing director of INTSOK.
The summit addressed issues of critical importance to both countries as the oil and gas activities are expanded in the Arctic. As much as 25% of undiscovered hydrocarbon resources may be located in the Arctic regions, according the US Geological Society. Exploration and developments of the resource potential has high priority in the oil industry and in governments responsible for the Arctic. "The theme for the Summit has resulted in significant interest both in the US and Norwegian oil and gas industry," says Dr. Wangen.
Featured speakers at the Summit are:
• Thorhild Widvey, Norway's Minister of Petroleum and Energy
• Lee Raymond, chairman and CEO, ExxonMobil
• Jim Mulva, president and CEO, ConocoPhillips
• Tore Torvund, executive vice president, Hydro
• Henrik Carlsen, senior vice president, Statoil
• Ian Craig, CEO, Sakhalin Energy Investment Co.
The US Ambassador to Norway, John D. Ong, presented the keynote address at the Summit.
Senior executives from the industry and the academic institutions discussed their experiences and the environmental challenges in operating in the sensitive Arctic environment.
"We have hosted annual events in Houston since 1999 to allow representatives from the oil industry to exchange ideas and experience. The Houston event has become an important meeting place where the Norwegian oil industry has been able to present their capabilities and new technological solutions. The response to this year's seminar and technological workshops is a clear sign of the industry's growing interest for the Arctic and other cold regions where oil and gas developments are taking place or will take place in the future, he adds.
The deepwater markets in Gulf of Mexico have been of considerable interest to the Norwegian oil suppliers and service companies. The market represents more than 20% of the Norwegian oil industry's international turnover.
03-03-05
