2024-01-16 17:49:04
Maintain high production to maintain your rank
“This is important for jobs, value creation and to ensure that Norway remains a stable energy supplier for Europe,” Energy Minister Terje Aasland said in a statement.
Read also: Norway consolidates its gas supply capacities for Europe
In the wake of the war in Ukraine and the reduction of Russian deliveries, Norway has become the leading supplier of natural gas to the Old Continent, a position it seeks to preserve by maintaining high production. This announcement aroused anger among environmental defenders.
TotalEnergies and Shell concerned
“At the climate summit in Dubai in December, the countries of the world agreed to ensure a transition away from coal, oil and gas,” responded Truls Gulowsen, leader of Naturvernforbundet, the Norwegian branch of Friends of the Earth. “But Norway is doing exactly the opposite (…). If oil companies discover hydrocarbons in these areas, it might contribute to emissions [de gaz à effet de serre] for many decades,” he said.
Read also: At COP28, methane takes center stage
“Completely retrograde” that the government “plunges Norway even deeper into its addiction to oil”, also commented the Norwegian branch of WWF.
The licenses were granted to 24 companies including Norwegian giants Equinor and Aker BP as well as international majors such as TotalEnergies and Shell.
The same day, the Ministry of Energy also gave the green light to the development of the Eirin gas field in the North Sea, a project carried out by Equinor jointly with the Kuwaiti KUFPEC.
Since 2021, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has been urging the world to stop any new oil exploration projects to limit global warming to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
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