I am a leader in a department in the Trade Union, Lederne, which organizes highly skilled skilled workers in five oil companies on the continental shelf, and I understand very little of what is embarrassing for Norwegian artists. The petition Norwegian artists have recently signed against continued oil exploration is causing irritation in an entire industry. We all want their desire for a future society without negative, man-made climate and environmental impact, but shutting down our largest energy production, without having the alternatives clear, is not realistic. The skilled workers, engineers, cooks and sailors employed in our industry add great value to their employers every day, and not least we contribute to the Norwegian welfare society. In 2021, value creation for each of my colleagues in the oil and gas sector was just under NOK 25 million. Employees in finance and insurance have second place on the list with approximately 3 million in value creation per year. employee. We can confidently claim that our contribution is significant, and most of us are proud of our contribution. Our colleagues have made fundamental contributions to technology development, competence building, engineering feats and experiences that the whole world benefits from. There is a very strong link between fossil energy extraction and the green shift, and here I think the call to artists unfortunately misses the mark. A realistic green shift is 100 percent dependent on the oil industry. What I miss in the debate are the consequences, if we are to follow the emotional outbursts that many have about Norwegian oil and gas operations and their closure. Because the consequences are formidable for our entire existence. There is a growing need for energy in the world, and in the short and long term, oil and gas cannot be replaced by expensive “green alternatives”, because they will hardly cover increased demand. Oil consumption is still increasing, and we have not reached the peak. There will be a need for oil and gas in the foreseeable future, and radical changes in energy policy where oil and gas are phased out will cause completely different problems, because we do not have alternative energy that will cover the needs. Without oil and gas, the world economy collapses. You can play guitar and write novels in your spare time if you are going to stop oil exploration. The alternatives are currently insignificant. The global transport and logistics sector is almost 100 per cent dependent on oil and gas. Norway plays an important role as an energy supplier in Europe because our gas is the cleanest. We are a small source of emissions, and therefore the discussion should deal with what we should contribute and in what way. Shutting down Norwegian oil and gas operations is pointless in the current situation. Globally, you have to start with the lowest hanging fruit. Coal is the biggest contributor to CO₂ emissions according to a report from the IEA, and if globally we fail to phase out coal, then it matters very little what we do in Norway. On the Norwegian continental shelf, we produce enormous amounts of energy every day that benefit many people. The Troll field alone continuously produces (gas) energy three times Norwegian hydropower. Norway has invested unimaginable amounts in the North Sea in the form of infrastructure (pipes and platforms), most of which has been paid off many years ago (such as hydropower). We have many older fields that should have been shut down several years ago, but their lifespan is constantly being extended because oil and gas discoveries in the vicinity of these mean that the established infrastructure justifies continued use. It is difficult to understand arguments against this, without taking into account the consequences for energy supplies, our economy and prosperity. It is poorly thought out and politically impossible to adopt an end date for oil and gas exploration. It will effectively stop all new investment in technology, education and infrastructure which will prove absolutely crucial for the development of clean, alternative energy. Norway is one of the few countries that does not burn gas directly into the atmosphere, when producing oil and gas, without it doing any good. In Norway, we also represent a sector that is a world leader in research and project development, which can reduce the world’s carbon footprint. Nevertheless, some people want us to stop doing this, and leave oil and gas production to countries that largely have authoritarian governance systems, and which have a completely different carbon footprint. We have no reason to be embarrassed about our production, and I hope we get a more fact-based discussion, rather than one about artists’ feelings when they travel abroad.
ttn-69
Don’t be embarrassed about my job – Statement
