Norway Urges EU to Revoke Arctic Oil and Gas Drilling Ban as Natural Gas Gains Strategic Importance

(Central News Agency reporter Wu Qi-Lin, Helsinki, 14th) The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has lasted over three months, accelerating the restructuring of Europe's energy landscape. On the 11th, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre traveled to Brussels to meet with the European Commission, urging the EU to revoke the 2021 moratorium on Arctic oil and gas exploration when updating its Arctic strategy in September.

According to Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK), Støre stated bluntly that if the EU insists on maintaining the moratorium while continuing to rely on Norwegian energy from the Arctic, it would place the EU in a contradictory position.

Following Western sanctions on Russian energy, the strategic importance of Norwegian Arctic natural gas has rapidly increased. The Strait of Hormuz blockade has further intensified the urgency for alternative energy sources.

According to data from the European Council, the primary alternative source filling the gap left by Russian energy is liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States. U.S. LNG exports to Europe have surged from 18.9 billion cubic meters in 2021 to 75.6 billion cubic meters—approximately four times the pre-sanction level.

Norway remains the EU's largest natural gas supplier, with projected exports reaching 89.3 billion cubic meters in 2025, an increase of over 10% compared to 2021.

The EU's updated Arctic policy statement is expected to be released in the third quarter of 2024, with security and defense as key agenda items.

Støre emphasized that the natural gas Norway supplies to the EU originates from the Melkøya liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Hammerfest, Northern Norway—located within the Arctic Circle.

He stated: "The EU must think clearly: advocating for a moratorium means rejecting Arctic energy, which is essentially self-handicapping." When asked whether he had received any commitments from the EU, Støre replied, "It is not the EU that decides where Norway explores for oil and gas." He stressed that Norway incorporates rigorous environmental sustainability considerations into all its Arctic activities.

Opposition remains strong within the European Parliament. Danish MEP and former foreign minister Villy Søvndal said, "We are witnessing climate breakdown; the EU cannot abandon its opposition to Arctic oil and gas development."

When asked whether Europe doesn't need more oil and gas amid current instability, he responded, "I don't believe these events should drag us back down the old path."

Rasmus Andresen, a German Green Party MEP, expressed willingness to discuss alternative solutions with the Norwegian government and energy companies.

"I want EU regulations to align with the real world," said Prime Minister Støre.

According to Norway's 'Investment News' (Investornytt), the Barents Sea and northern Norwegian Sea fall within the EU's definition of the Arctic region, where nearly two-thirds of Norway's oil and gas reserves are located.