Hoeven Meets with Norwegian Energy Minister, Ambassador
Senator, Officials Discuss Recent $4.4 Billion Investment in North Dakota, Future Collaboration
WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today met with the Norwegian Energy Minister Ola Morten-Moe to discuss Statoil ASA’s large recent investments in North Dakota, as well as opportunities for future collaboration. Also participating in the meeting was Norwegian Ambassador Wegger Christian Strømmen. Statoil ASA is a large Norwegian energy company with extensive North Sea operations.
Statoil recently invested more than $4.4 billion in acquiring Brigham Exploration, an independent exploration, development and production company that uses advanced exploration and drilling technology to find and develop domestic onshore oil and natural gas reserves. Brigham Exploration’s Williston Basin operation is Brigham’s largest U.S. onshore field investment with about 375,800 net acres. Its positions in Western North Dakota and Eastern Montana are known for their rich petroleum deposits.
Ten years ago, when the state was working to attract investment and expertise to the Bakken, Marathon Oil brought engineers from its North Sea operation to North Dakota to help develop new exploration and recovery technologies, including horizontal drilling, to tap the Bakken, Hoeven said. That was one of the keys to unlocking the Bakken’s stratified geology, which was until then difficult to access, he added.
“Energy development depends on good science and good technology, and Statoil has been at the cutting edge for decades,” Hoeven said. “We’re looking forward to broadening and deepening the relationship between North Dakota and Statoil to help make the Williston Basin both productive and sustainable over the long term.”
Hoeven, Minister Borten-Moe and Ambassador Strømmen also discussed the large population of North Dakotans who share Norwegian heritage, and the senator invited them to join him next year at Norsk Høstfest, the state’s annual celebration of North Dakota’s Norwegian culture and heritage.
Next Article Previous Article
