The Media Room

Natural Resources Canada

Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy

November 2, 2011

JOINT MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON COOPERATION IN THE ENERGY SECTOR

Norway and Canada are both significant producers and exporters of petroleum and significant producers of electricity produced from hydro power. In exercising their respective sovereignty, jurisdiction and sovereign rights as Arctic States, Norway and Canada have a stewardship role in protecting the uniqueness of the Arctic ecosystem.  Both countries are committed to ensuring the exploitation of natural resources in a sustainable manner and consistent with international law. Both countries also emphasize the need, and use considerable resources, to develop commercially viable carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to help mitigate climate change. 

Based on this, as the Ministers responsible for energy of Norway and Canada, we find it useful to strengthen the energy dialogue between our countries on a bilateral basis and through international organizations of which both countries are members. Furthermore, we encourage enhanced commercial cooperation between interested companies in the energy sector.

Consequently, we recognize the following priorities for cooperation between Norway and Canada in the energy sector:

1. GENERAL

Norway and Canada will continue to take advantage of opportunities for bilateral energy dialogue.  In order to achieve this, they will hold regular meetings at both the political and official levels between their energy ministries.

2. OIL AND GAS

As more easily accessible oil and gas is depleted around the world, countries are turning increasingly to less accessible oil and gas resources.  Norway and Canada greatly value their cooperation to ensure that such resources are developed as safely and sustainably as possible. 

As Norway and Canada express a common interest in establishing favorable conditions for comprehensive and sustainable development and management of petroleum resources, they will:

•  Continue and refine bilateral relations in the petroleum sector on a mutually beneficial basis;
• Facilitate the continuous exchange of information on issues related to sustainable petroleum activities;
• Contribute to the further development of industrial cooperation and implementation of oil and gas projects on a commercial basis;
• Work cooperatively to ensure that regulatory measures are based on sound science and are fair and non-discriminatory.

3. RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Norway and Canada will:

•  Continue to seek opportunities for cooperation in the renewable energy field on a mutually beneficial basis, and with particular attention to hydro power;
• As appropriate, share experience related to legislation and regulation of the development, production, transmission and distribution of hydro power and other renewable electricity.

4. CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE (CCS)

Norway and Canada will:

• Encourage information-sharing on domestic CCS policies, and research, development and demonstration (R,D&D) programs.
• Work together in the Carbon Capture, Use and Storage (CCUS) Action Group of the Clean Energy Ministerial under Major Economies Forum to ensure that key actions to address the challenges to the global deployment to CCS are presented to Ministers of energy at the next Clean Energy Ministerial in London in 2012.
• Work together in the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF), includingensuring ambitious outcomes and effective use of the Capacity Building Fund to support CCS in CSLF developing member countries.