The junior minister pointed out that the energy position is changing and that security conditions have altered. “Working on safety will thereby become even more important.”
On 1 January 2024, the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) was renamed the Norwegian Offshore Industry Authority (Havtil).
Bergmål was present at the name-changing ceremony, and used the occasion to emphasise the importance of good safety work and to repeat and reinforce an ambition for the level of safety which applies to both the petroleum sector and new industrial operations offshore.
World leader
“We are in a time when new ocean industries are under development and the level of activity in the petroleum sector is high,” she said. “At the same time, we see rising costs, increased interest rates and greater inflation.”
That could put pressure on HSE, which therefore made it important to be aware and clear, Bergmål added.
“We’ll never compromise on HSE. Norway will remain the world leader here, including in the new industries under development. Pressure on costs will never be allowed at the expense of safety.
“We believe it is important that this occupies a crucial place in all work on the new industries, such as offshore wind.”
Security
The security position has led to a lasting requirement for increased alertness and concentration on national security, not least on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). National security is a priority for the government.
Work on security occupies a key place at Havtil. The authority has exercised supervision in this area pursuant to the Petroleum Act since 2013, and was also appointed the regulatory authority for the petroleum industry pursuant to the Security Act in 2023.
The Norwegian government upgraded the threat level on the NCS in 2022, and Bergmål emphasised that this continues to apply.
“It’s easy to imagine that the security position we currently face is short-term and will soon pass,” she said. “But what we know is that the alertness required is here to stay.
“The new normal is that we face more complex threats. Havtil has an important role both in cooperation at government level and in following up the industry in this context.”
New name, same goal
Bergmål said that the change of name made it clear that Havtil’s responsibility had expanded, but that the goal remained the same.
“With emerging industries which require new regulations and supervision, we need a strong regulator more than ever. The key duties and priorities are nevertheless the same as before.
“The Norwegian labour model forms the basis, and collaboration between companies, unions and government occupies a crucial place. This is well entrenched in the petroleum industry.
“Safety delegates, the structure of elected employee representatives and the established bi- and tripartite arenas have great value, and will also be important as we develop the new industries.”
The bulk of Norway’s energy sector will continue to be related to the petroleum industry, where the level of activity is high, Bergmål emphasised.
But activity is now also increasing in Havtil’s new areas of responsibility.
- The first large offshore wind projects on the NCS will be allocated project areas in 2025.
- Longship, the government’s demonstration project for full-scale CO2 management, is on schedule to come on line in 2025.
- The government is continuing to award acreage for commercial CO2 storage on the NCS.
- Norwegian seabed minerals will be administered by the government in the time to come in a prudent and sustainable manner, initially increasing knowledge, exploring and prospecting.
Bergmål noted that the change of name simultaneously reflects a closer integration of the actual energy system over recent years.
She mentioned renewable energy, oil and gas and new low-emission technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS), before noting: “this is no longer a question of separate industries, but a single energy sector”.