Canada increases offshore energy production

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Norwegian oil and gas company subsidiary StatoilHydro Canada is increasing its presence in Newfoundland.

The Telegram reported Saturday that StatoilHydro Canada Vice President Hege Rogno said that the company, which operates 39 producing oil and gas fields, said, "Our wish here is to become a producing operator in offshore Canada. We're operating exploration licenses, so we're hoping ... to go more and more into exploration and getting more acreage and then finally become an operator in field development and production. We're here to stay."

StatoilHydro's projects in Newfoundland include the Mizzen discovery well in the deepwater Flemish Pass and the Ballicatters offshore well on the shallower Grand Banks in conjunction with Suncor Energy.

Rogno added that Newfoundland's offshore Atlantic industry is giving StatoilHydro experience in harsh offshore environments and in dealing with icebergs and pack ice, remarking, "We're seeing it as an important stepping stone to the arctic, because of the environment out there offshore, both as partner and as an operator in exploration. We get to experience this climate and the harsh conditions with the ice."