- It is a great pleasure for me to open “The Arctic Frontiers Conference”. The conference is a major event. It focuses on the development potential in the Arctic region and the corresponding environmental challenges. This focus is well aligned with the Norwegian Government’s objective to achieve sustainable growth and development in the high North, said the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mr. Odd Roger Enoksen when he held the opening speech at the Arctic Frontiers Conference in Tromsø today.

- The Norwegian Barents Sea is still largely a frontier area. The Norwegian Government focus its efforts on developing strategically important infrastructure in mature parts of the Barents Sea. We also focus on exploring frontier areas. I see a new petroleum province emerging, said Minister Enoksen in his speech.

- The partners in the Snøhvit license are currently planning for the construction of new production capacity at Snøhvit LNG, also known as a train two. In order to make such a development possible, it is necessary to make new gas discoveries in the area. New exploration activity is therefore essential, and discoveries such as Tornerose bear proof of a very promising future.

- Development of the Goliat oil discovery is another very promising project. The exploration wells drilled so far have proven that Goliat is a major oil discovery. Investment in developing the Goliat field is now likely to exceed twenty billion Norwegian kroner. This makes the Goliat field development one of the most significant future field developments on the Norwegian continental shelf, said the Minister.

In his speech Minister Odd Roger Enoksen focused further on the cooperation between Russia and Norway in the high north, and the Integrated Management Plan. This plan is a pioneering effort to achieve an ecosystem-based management of the oceans surrounding Norway.

The Arctic Frontiers conference takes place from January 22-26 at the University of Tromsø, and gathers about 500 participants. More information about the conference, see www.arctic-frontiers.com.

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