[EVENT] Authorizing drilling operations in the Barents Sea!

Our research operations regarding synthetic oil and hydrogen cells have slowly paved the way for Norway to be even less dependent on oil in the coming years, but, while we are making these steps, we must still keep the oil balance, allowing us to profit from that expense.

And while the North Sea will, at best, hold enough oil for the next few years, we must find new areas in which to conduct oil drilling. And the Barents Sea, where Statoil has conducted research operations since the 1980's, is one of the regions where drilling could commence.

And so, I, in the name of the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, have allowed Statoil to conduct drilling operations in the "Norwegian" Barents Sea, near the Eastern coast of Svalbard. However, with ecological reasons in mind, no more then 20 oil rigs will be allowed to be raised, which would still produce enough oil to allow us to satisfy ourselves and those who are interested in export, at least until production of synthetic fuels is underway.

Funds of 500 million USD will be handed to Statoil for this project, and I expect the rigs to be up in 12 months. Otherwise, Statoil's reputation will again be questioned.

~Alicia Contzen, Minister of Trade and Infrastructure