Oil, Anniken Hauglie | Oil industry reacts to Ap’s new climate program: – I’m very concerned

The Labor Party recently launched a new political program that seeks to unite the fronts between the Industri Energi union, which represents, among other things, private sector oil workers, with the AUF and more climate-oriented parts of the Labor Party.

In the new program, it is clear that the oil champions have scored several major victories, and the oil tap is not expected to be shut off immediately. “Development” is not “liquidation” characterizes the program.

However, there are some areas that make the oil industry more nervous. With long-term investments, there is one thing that always makes the oil industry a little more nervous in the saddle: changes in framework conditions.

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– worried

– In general, I am pleased that the Labor Party says that the industry must develop and not end. But the big concern is this dissent on the edge of the ice. Because here the Storting, after a long and proper process with a professional foundation, adopted an ice edge just before summer. It also only takes three months, which is why a large minority in the Labor Party puts it on the line. That worries me a lot, Norwegian oil and gas director Anniken Hauglie tells Nettavisen.

The dissent has the support of large and heavy county groups of the Labor Party. He wants to return to the adopted ice edge, which is a limit on how far north oil companies will be allowed to engage in exploration and drilling.

– The oil and gas industry will be important for a long time. But for it to be so large, the framework conditions must be stable. In this case, you plan a rematch around the edge of the ice. This applies to companies that have already obtained licenses, he says.

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Anniken Hauglie was appointed Norway’s oil and gas director just two months ago and left her post as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in the government.

– They themselves restrict the areas they opened in 2013. It is difficult for an industry with investments for many years to change positions every two years. We fear the consequences if this is carried out with the Labor Party, says Hauglie.

– Is this a sign that the Labor Party is moving to the left in this dispute?

– I don’t want to drag him that far. But that they return to what they themselves previously thought is worrying. If we don’t have access to new areas, there will be no exploration or drilling. We fear the consequences of that, says Hauglie.

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Stand up for oil workers

The Labor Party, for its part, assures that the oil policy will be developed to preserve the industry and believes that there is no cause for concern.

– All activities, including oil, must take into account the biodiversity of this area. Therefore, the precautionary principle must be taken into account when planning activities in these maritime areas. So it is the case that we must respect that those who do not agree with this, and who want an even stricter line, must be able to express just that, says spokesperson for energy and environmental policy Espen Barth Eide (Labor) to Nettavisen.

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Barth Eide will also strongly reject that the Labor Party does not defend workers in the oil and gas industry.

– The Labor Party has always defended workers in the oil and gas industry. We will do the same in the next decade. At the same time, we believe that requirements should be established that also contribute to creating new jobs in adjacent industries that are linked to the oil and gas industry, and that secure allocations for the Norwegian supplier industry, he says.