北极地区蕴含的巨大潜力

Norway is one of the countries trying to extend its territory deeper into the Arctic region. And Hege Marie Norheim is a senior vice president at Norwegian oil company Statoil. She's currently working on the company's Arctic project and she joins us live now from Oslo. Thank you so much for joining us. How excited are you about the possible reserves in the Arctic? I mean, do you see it as a great opportunity?

Absolutely. The Arctic resources for our industry are very important. And we are very excited about the opportunities in the Arctic. However, we've already been working for 30 years in the Arctic on the Norwegian side, and also for decades in Canada and outside of Alaska. And Statoil is at the moment working with the Russians to develop a gas field also in the Barents Sea on the Russian side. So we already have some experience and there are much more work to be done.

It's hard, though, isn't it, for you in certain areas because you don't know actually which country is in charge and which country to deal with. So how much of a problem is that becoming as technology improves and allows you to go into those areas?

Well, actually when it comes to disputed areas, we are, of course, very happy and it's very important that areas like the one now resolved between Russia and Norway is actually being resolved. It is a huge area and the Norwegian industry is excited to be able to look into whether there is oil and gas in that area. The area is as big as the whole ... on the Norwegian side, which we've been working on for 40 years. Having said that, disputed areas in the Arctic is not really a big issue for the industry because most of the areas in the Arctic is not disputed at all. It is very clear what is the Norwegian acreage, what is the Russian acreage, and the American, and the Canadian, and the Greenland acreage. So the disputed areas, you know, constitute a very minor, a very spot of the acreage that we are looking into. It's really all the environmental in the Arctic challenges that are challenging us when we look up in the north.

So briefly, your sense is that this is more really about politics and national boundaries than about business and resources.

Well, I think national boundaries are obviously very important. But to the industry, the challenge is more, you know, the existence of ice, the darkness during the winter months, the remoteness and the lack of infrastructure...

Okay, we've lost you. We've got, it's gonna have us some points, isn't it? Glad to have it towards the end of the interview though. Hege Marie Norheim of Statoil speaking to me live just a moment ago, at least.