Houston and Norway working together

Norway and Houston have long-established and strong ties. Business is, and has always been, at the heart of our relationship. More than anything else, our relations have been influenced by shipping and oil.

Houston is a global maritime and offshore oil powerhouse and Norway's third-largest U.S. gateway for seaborne trade. Last year, 579 Norwegian ships called at Houston, representing some $760.4 million worth of seaborne trade.

Many Texas-based companies, such as Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips, National Oilwell Varco, Marathon Oil and FMC Technologies, have made major investments and built up significant operations in Norway.

Moreover, technology transfer from Texas was essential to the Norwegian oil industry in the 1970s. The experienced oilmen who laid the foundations of the Norwegian offshore adventure were, to a large extent, Texans.

Houston is home to the largest concentration of Norwegian energy companies outside Norway. Furthermore, about 7,000 Norwegians today live and work in the Houston region, mostly in the energy, maritime, space and medical fields, as well as in higher education and research. Some 140 Norwegian companies have a presence in Houston, creating a number of workplaces.

Norway's oil and gas major, Statoil, manages its U.S. portfolio out of Houston. Statoil has made Norway the world's third-largest exporter of natural gas, and its fifth-largest exporter of oil. Statoil is a world leader in the field of deep-sea operations, and is ranked No. 13 among global oil and gas companies and No. 36 in annual turnover worldwide, irrespective of sector.

Paul "Red" Adair, another great Houstonian, made his name in Norway by resolving one of the most precarious situations ever to arise during the pioneer era of the North Sea oil industry: the Bravo Blowout of 1977. Today, we are seeing a reverse flow of expertise and technology, from Norway back to Texas. About 30 Norwegian companies, including Norlense, were involved in dealing with the Deepwater Horizon accident. Norwegian technology and experience helped to mitigate the disastrous oil spill, and global offshore classification expert DNV is currently assisting the presidential commission.

Houston is innovative and knowledge-intensive. Given its location in Texas, one of the most dynamic states in the U.S., this should come as no surprise.
Houston truly is a place where the future has already arrived. Its qualities are in high demand at a time when human progress requires formidable environmental challenges to be overcome. Thomas Edison saw these challenges coming, and questioned the way we use the world's energy sources. "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that," he once said.

We have to rise to these environmental challenges and find ways to decouple continued growth and wealth creation from increased fossil fuel consumption. Companies that have the creative power and corporate will to lead the world toward a greener economy will be tomorrow's winners.

Companies with such ambitions look to Houston for new technology and to sharpen their competitive edges.

One pertinent example is the Norwegian solar company REC, which is now branching out globally, from Norway to Houston to Germany and Singapore.
Houston is among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the U.S. and is fast becoming a knowledge center also in relation to new renewable energy technology.
Houston is an important point of reference as Norwegian industry seeks a position at the front line of the renewable era envisioned by Edison.