Opening of ONS 2010

The ONS (Offshore Northern Seas) focuses mainly on the petroleum industry, it has also increasingly come to encompass alternative forms of energy. King Harald emphasised this in his opening speech while at the same time noting that it will take a long time before more environment-friendly alternatives can replace fossil fuels. The development of safer, cleaner petroleum technology is crucial, and the exchange of knowledge made possible by events such as ONS represents an important step in this process:

“The catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico is a reminder to us all of the challenges and risks linked to deep sea activities. It is important that the industry’s technical experts come together at events such as ONS. In the quest for safer ways of producing oil and gas, it is vital that you openly exchange ideas and inspire each other,.” said King Harald.

Guided tour

Prior to the opening ceremony, King Harald was given a guided tour of the exhibition hall by ONS President Kjell Ursin-Smith. Their first stop was the ONS Parks at the ONS Centre Court, which The King opened in a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. As the tour continued, King Harald met with a number of national and international stakeholders participating in the conference before attending a luncheon hosted by Stavanger municipality.

Panel debate: Energy for more people

This year’s conference theme is “Energy for more people”, and raises the key question: How can we make energy available to an ever-increasing population without placing too great of a burden on the environment?

“Energy for more people – a global perspective” was also the title of the panel debate which began at 3:00 pm following an introduction by Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. King Harald attended some of the debate before leaving the conference hall for discussions with energy officials.

Met with energy officials

King Harald concluded his day at ONS 2010 by meeting with Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change Charles Hendry from the United Kingdom as well as with the Minister of Mines and Energy H.E. Augustin Kouadio Komoé from the Ivory Coast and the Minister of Energy Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei from Ghana.