We need to expand outside Norway given that the Norwegian continental shelf won't be able to deliver the growth we need.

Having paid for these assets we'll still remain within the long-term gearing target the board has set.

Demand for energy will double in the next decade. Energy supply is fundamental to societal value.

We are primarily buying an exploration company - with huge exploration area compared to the actual production.

We need regulatory clearance which we do not expect to be a problem.

A very important step in our growth strategy.

I would not like to see women coming into my board where there is a clear suspicion they are there because of a legal framework and not because of their competence.

We believe that the deepwater potential in the Gulf of Mexico is considerable.

We haven't ever before seen such sharp increases in costs as over the past two years. It's more than $200 per ton. It has to do with rising energy costs, with rising alumina costs. This increase puts pressure on the weakest smelters.