Twice a year, the five National Oil and gas Industry Associations (NOIA’s) around the North Sea meet up to discuss current affairs, share experiences, and learn from each other. This time, the meetup was organized by Element NL and held in The Hague on October 24 and 25. There was plenty to talk about, seeing the current developments in the sector.
The Element NL team in The Hague welcomed the other NOIA representatives of BVEG (Germany), Dansk Offshore (Denmark), OEUK (United Kingdom), Offshore Norge (Norway). The meetup was led by Element NL chairman Menno Snel.
Some of the topics that were discussed concerned the security of installations, the solidarity contributions, and the Action Agenda. Also, a representative of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate talked about the policy developments in the Netherlands for the sector.
“It’s so important to have a committed industry that wants to be part of the solution when it comes to the energy transition,” says Martin Naesby, CEO of Dansk Offshore. “Also, it is great to see that the industry is willing and capable of providing security of supply.”
Members from the neighboring NOIA's had plenty of opportunity to catch up on current affairs and learn from how different countries handle challenges in climate, security, supply, legislation, and more.
Erling Kvadsheim, Director of International Affairs of Offshore Norge, clearly sees the value of these meetups: “They are very important, maybe even more important than ever, seeing how this industry is under scrutiny.” The gas industry is a relatively large part of the Norwegian economy. “Even though the context is not the same for different countries, there is a lot to learn from each. For example, how to contribute to the climate agenda and dealing with EU legislature.”
There was also some time reserved to catch up more informally during dinner and lunch. All in all, members agreed that these two days were very productive. The next meetup will be held in the spring of 2023 and hosted by the German NOIA, BVEG, and held in Berlin.