Technology not ready for Lofoten drilling?

A Norwegian parliamentarian who represents communities in the Lofoten area says the seismic surveys conducted this summer were necessary to obtain knowledge about oil and gas resources, in accordance with the government’s exploration management plan. Hill-Marta Solberg, who is also chair of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, told Petroleum News that new technology should make drilling in the important fishery possible in the future, but the technology is not ready today.

Solberg was in Fairbanks in August for the Conference of Arctic Parliamentarians. She is a member of the Labor Party, which is part of a coalition government that includes the Socialist Left Party and the Center Party. Solberg is also optimistic about the Snohvit natural gas project in the Barents Sea, operated by StatoilHydro. “I’m sure that the companies will solve the problems – this is kind of a pioneer project, so we have to understand that there will be problems in the early stages,” Solberg said.

—Sarah Hurst