Oil and Gas
The petroleum industry is Norway's largest industry.
Norway’s oil history in 5 minutes
In the late 1950s, very few people believed that the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) might conceal rich oil and gas deposits. However, the discovery of gas at Groningen in the Netherlands in 1959 caused people to revise their thinking on the petroleum potential of the North Sea.
The service and supply industry
The service and supply industry is Norway’s second-largest industry measured in terms of turnover, after the oil and gas industry, and includes more than 1 250 companies. After more than 40 years of petroleum activities, the industry has developed cutting-edge expertise and is internationally competitive.
Gas exports from the Norwegian shelf
Norway is the third largest gas exporter in the world. Nearly all Norwegian gas is sold on the European market.
Related topics and insights
What's new
Documents
An industry for the future – report to the Storting on Norway’s petroleum policy
The white paper - Report to the Storting 28 (2010-2011) is translated into english
NorwegianPetroleum.no
NorwegianPetroleum.no is published by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, and is a user-friendly, fact-based website where interested readers can learn more about Norwegian petroleum history, current activity, outlook and framework conditions.
Latest documents
- Meld. St. 14 (2020–2021) - Long-term Perspectives on the Norwegian Economy 2021 Report to the Storting 12/02/2021
- Meld. St. 20 (2019–2020) - Norway’s integrated ocean management plans — Barents Sea–Lofoten area; the Norwegian Sea; and the North Sea and Skagerrak Report to the Storting 24/04/2020
- Meld. St. 12 (2017–2018) – Health, safety and environment in the petroleum industry - Report to the Storting 06/04/2018