Norway approves $1.5bn gasfield restarts, 70 licences
SkimNews Take
Geopolitical instability and the imperative for energy security are creating conditions where environmental concerns are being subordinated to immediate supply needs, even in nations with strong green commitments.
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- Norwegian government approves reopening three North Sea gasfields, allocating 19bn kroner (£1.5bn) to restart them by end‑2028 with production slated through 2048.
- Albuskjell (along with Vest Ekofisk and Tommeliten Gamma) will deliver gas via pipeline to Germany and light oil to the United Kingdom.
- Socialist Left party deputy leader Lars Haltbrekken condemns the plan as “greenwashing” and warns of catastrophic impacts on fish and bird populations.
- Norway opens 70 new offshore exploration licences, with a 1 Sept application deadline and licences expected early next year.
- Jonas Gahr Støre frames the move as creating jobs, community value and bolstering Europe’s energy security.
Why it matters: Norway gains up to £1.5bn in investment and new jobs, while European gas consumers secure additional supply; environmental groups lose protection for coastal ecosystems, and the climate agenda faces setbacks.
