– To be completely honest, I think it’s … I won’t use words like distasteful, but that’s what I’m tempted to say. That’s what Marianne Sivertsen Næss (Ap) says. The former Mayor of Hammerfest is currently head of the energy and environment committee at the Storting. Equinor can now deliver a new record result of NOK 174 billion. This has also led to increased dividends for the shareholders. Calculations from Dagens Næringsliv show that there is talk of NOK 30 billion extra to shareholders this year. Almost 20 billion of them in the form of direct dividends. At the same time as the record yield, several people believe that the oil companies should take greater responsibility for creating ripple effects in the north. Sivertsen Næss says that from day one it has been said that the oil industry should contribute to building society. – And that is one of the most important things in facilitating oil and gas activity. It has not been possible to prioritize that in this context, which I am very critical of. Ripple effects in the north One of the issues that has been raised is the mentioned oil terminal at Veidnes in Nordkapp municipality. The project has previously been shelved due to high costs. Mayor of Nordkapp, Trudy Engen (SV), agrees with Sivertsen Næss. – Those who are allowed to extract resources locally and regionally must help ensure that there are regional and local effects of resource extraction, says Engen. She says it has been disappointing that Equinor thinks there was not enough earnings from the solution proposed at Veidnes. – We are very disappointed by that in the Nordkapp. Especially when we see that things are running smoothly in the company. The oil terminal project at Veidnes in Nordkapp municipality would have brought more jobs to the coastal municipality. Stronger result – greater contribution Sissel Rinde, information director at Equinor, believes that the company’s results mean that they also contribute more to society. – In the first half of this year, the company has paid almost NOK 110 billion in tax in Norway, as a result of the good results from last year. The income from the first half of 2022 alone will result in a tax bill for Equinor of NOK 230 billion in Norway. She adds that the state gets to share in the dividend to the shareholders because of its ownership in the company. In the first half of this year, Equinor paid almost NOK 110 billion in tax to Norway (the tax calculated from results for the second half of 2021), says Equinor’s director of information, Sissel Rinde. Photo: EQUINOR She says they agree with Sivertsen Næss that Equinor should create ripple effects where they are active. – According to a ripple effect study carried out by Kunnskapsparken Bodø and KUPA, the Johan Castberg project will contribute approximately 2,300 man-years in Northern Norway, of which over 1,300 man-years in North-Troms and Finnmark. Regarding the transshipment of oil in Finnmark, Rinde believes that this has been thoroughly investigated in connection with the development of Johan Castberg. – Future oil production from the Wisting field and Goliat was included in the study that formed the basis of the Storting’s consideration, where it was concluded that a terminal could not be realized. Should make higher demands on the oil companies Sivertsen Næss, however, draws parallels between the development of the oil terminal at Veidnes and the facility at Melkøya in Hammerfest. Gas is received there from the Snøhvit field. – In connection with Snøhvit, they did everything they could. They contacted ESA (EFTA’s supervisory body) and checked all possibilities for special tax rules. In addition, other rules were checked to find out how to do it profitably. – And it succeeded, says Sivertsen Næss. The leader of the energy and environment committee draws parallels between the project at Veidnes and the Melkøya project. Photo: Allan Klo / news She believes that the Conservative governments in the period 2013–2021 did not make any demands on the oil companies regarding community building, presence and ripple effects in the north. – The overall tone throughout the eight years spent making demands on the oil companies was very clear: “the oil companies know best, what is profitable”. – It is quite disappointing – because it is through making demands on the players that you can have ripple effects, says Sivertsen Næss. – You must be able to pay for the solution Ove Trellevik (H) in the energy and environment committee believes that Equinor and the government have a responsibility to create positive ripple effects. But he says that it is the same with all developments and infrastructures – they have to pay for themselves. – It will be a bit like the chicken and the egg. I would like a better export solution for the Barents Sea for both gas and oil, but it must be able to pay for itself. If not, we have to wait until it pays off. Ove Trellevik (H) believes that the oil terminal project at Veidnes must pay off before it can become a reality. Photo: Olaug Spissøy Kyvik With regard to the oil terminal at Veidnes and the Castberg field, Trellevik says that Castberg has been built so that other solutions can be used in the future, should the need arise.
ttn-69
Record-breaking return to shareholders in Equinor – believes the money should go to the local communities – news Troms and Finnmark
