The Federation of Norwegian Industries believes that the controversy surrounding oil and gas-related activity in Lofoten and Vesterålen is rooted in a fabricated conflict."The overall perspective of economic development in northern Norway is being drowned in a debate in which some parties clearly show that they simply aren't interested in taking new know-how and improved environmental protection measures within the petroleum industry into consideration".
Th is is the view of Rolf Hestenes, Director of Oil and Gas Technology at the Federation of Norwegian Industries, in an interview with Petro.no. Hestenes will be one of the speakers at the Barents Sea Conference to be held on 21 - 22 April in Hammerfest.
His targets are those opposed to oil and gas development on the shelf offshore Lofoten and Vesterålen.
"It would be pointless", he continues, "if dogmatic arguments with no foundation in fact, new knowledge, or technological developments should be allowed to distract us from the big picture and thus determine northern Norway's future development. It is alarming to observe that representatives of parties in government are not adhering to their own strategy for assessment of the Integrated Management Plan, but are basing their opinions entirely on personal feelings".
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Fabricated
Hestenes believes that the entire debate, in which the fisheries and oil and gas industries are pitted against each other, is therefore a fabrication. He refers to 40 years of operations on the Norwegian Shelf without damage to the marine environment, to improved organisation of oil spill contingency measures, and to new and more effective oil spill recovery booms. He also believes that new technology and continuous monitoring systems will prevent a repeat of oil spills similar to that which occurred at Statfjord A in December 2007.
"We have also the fact that the trend in oil and gas-related activities is continually moving towards the increased use of subsea systems. This means that it will be perfectly feasible for fisheries vessels to trawl across such areas", he emphasises.
Hestenes is anxious that in relation to activity in the northern areas, the debate do not cause us to lose sight of the big picture.
"The development of oil and gas-related activity in Lofoten and Vesterålen must be rooted in the context of a much wider discussion addressing to how new commercial activities can be generated in northern Norway".
An overall perspective
He points out that before this can be achieved major challenges must be faced on several fronts.
"The government's revised strategy for the northern areas (in Norwegian) provides a good impression of what is required. It is encouraging to see that the government is clearly basing its evaluations on an overall perspective. It acknowledges that oil and gas development in the north is not only a matter of domestic concern, but that Norway has also assumed responsibility for making a contribution towards supplying global energy needs. It is a pity that this is not being followed up with a White Paper. This would enable a broad debate resulting in agreement as to the basic principles and terms of reference governing Norway's most important industry".
Hestenes also refers to the fact that the Norwegian Research Council wants to give priority to five wider challenges that society faces in the northern areas. These comprise the oil and gas industry itself, together with environmental and marine resource issues, innovation, industrial development, living conditions and foreign policy.
Major opportunities for northern Norway
Hestenes is optimistic on behalf of the region in spite of the fact that northern Norway faces major politico-commercial challenges related to the development of infrastructure, expertise and industry.
"The sum total of the authorities' overall outlook and position means that we at the Federation of Norwegian Industries can take a positive view of the future opportunities opening up for northern Norway. What we need now is to see to it that the northern Norwegian supply industry is given the opportunity in the short term to position itself in anticipation of increased levels of business activity in the region", says Hestenes.
He points out that oil and gas-related activities are demanding, and must be learned.
"In such circumstances the best approach will be to enter into collaboration agreements with firms currently supplying domestic and international projects. Together with the Federation of Norwegian Industry, EnergiCampus Hammerfest will make a contribution in terms of initiatives to promote further education and the raising of skills and expertise levels".
Hestenes sums up by saying; "In the north, a contract strategy for the Goliat project, adapted to the Norwegian supply industry, together with an extensive manpower requirement linked to major turnarounds at StatoilHydro's facility on Melkøya, will provide opportunities for the development of northern Norwegian industries".