Meanwhile arisen dispute between Norway and Russia on oil and gas exploration at Svalbard.
Billionaire or oligarch Mikhail Fridman has gained access both Norwegian and British shelves after he has bought oil and gas company RWE Dea from the German energy group RWE.
Telenor Russian “archenemy”
Fridman is more commonly known from the longtime owner controversy with Telenor in Russian mobile operator Vimpelcom, a battle which he won.
Now investigated Vimpelcom and Telenor by police in several countries for corruption when they acquired mobile licenses in Uzbekistan.
Political intervention in the UK
At the weekend it was announced that the British energy and climate ministry going to block Fridman acquisition of RWEs holdings on the UKCS.
Energy Minister Ed Davey fear effects for British oil and gas production if sanctions against Russia extended because of the war in Ukraine.
Davey is not convinced by RWE Dea and Fridman arguments, the newspaper Financial Times.
Fridman alerts legal action if the British refuse RWE Dea to acquire RWEs oil and gas in the UK.
Tord Lien dismissed the case
Same issue was taken up in this country last summer and fall when it became clear that Fridman investment company LetterOne Group acquires German RWE Dea.
The time rejected Oil and Energy Tord Lien to take the matter up in the Government. He noted that there are RWE Dea Norway – and not Fridman – who is the player on the Norwegian shelf.
He also noted that Western sanctions regime against Russia at that time did not include the oil industry offshore, but businesses in Russia .
Will expand business in Norway
RWE Dea Norway has seven operatorship and is a partner in another 33 licenses on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Earlier this winter, it became clear that RWE Dea Norway also has applied for permission to participate in oil and gas exploration in the Barents Sea.
Also Russia’s second largest oil company, listed Lukoil, in the list of the 40 oil companies that have applied to get licenses in 23 licensing round on the Norwegian shelf.
MPE allows for 160 blocks in the Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea can be divided into this licensing round.
Controversy over exploration at Svalbard
Meanwhile, there has been strife between Norway and Russia on the boundaries of oil exploration in the north.
Russia claims that three of the blocks which are advertised on the 23rd lap located on the so-called Svalbard block. Norwegian authorities reject this, wrote the class struggle Saturday.
In plain accused Norway of breaking international law, according to the newspaper.
“Equal treatment of all countries”
The Russians believe oil and gas around Svalbard shall be treated under the provisions of the Svalbard Treaty of 1920 on the equal treatment of all countries.
– Russia believes that the announcement of three blocks within Svalbard block mismatched with the provision in the 1920 Treaty, writes press attaché Andrey Kulikov at the Russian embassy in Norway.
Russia wants dialogue with Norway to resolve the controversy.
Foreign Affairs (MFA) has been in contact with other countries on this matter, but is not worried about protests from Russia.
– No, Norwegian authorities are not concerned. Norwegian petroleum management rests on safe basis in international law, and the aforementioned licensing round in the Barents Sea does not give grounds for protests, says deputy director Kristin Enstad in UD.
Also in the 22nd licensing round protesting Russians against the announcement of two blocks as they claimed lay within Svalbard block.
Sanction policy can affect oil
The controversy on the UKCS may be the first time a Western government publicly threatens to intervene in a transaction in business because of the sanctions policy against Russia .
German RWE and Russian Fridman company LetterOne believes, however, they have a waterproof appointment as the one approved by eight governments, among them the EU, Germany and Ukraine.
The UK is the only country that threatens to oppose the transaction, according to RWE / Fridman.
The Russians pay 5 billion euros (about 45 billion. kr) for REW Dea in an agreement which was due to be finally ready Monday.
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