June 12 – A teenager’s talk on life in Norway – Controversial topic: Oil in Norway

Accommodations: Thon Hotel Bristol Bergen

This morning after breakfast, Heidi’s nephew Morgan gave a talk about what it’s like being a teenager in Norway. He is a very nice kid, almost 15 years old, and he spoke about his schooling (private school), his friends, his classes, etc.

He has been seeking Allan and me out very often to walk with us and then he shares photos of his sailboat, his artwork, and his prowess on the trampoline. He also loves to talk about cars with Allan and he was really just delightful. Heidi said he told her he really liked us. Aww…

After the talk we boarded the bus and drove through Oygarden, and once again, the scenery didn’t disappoint.

We had a delicious fish chowder for lunch, with flounder, shrimp, and mussels, and then we toured the beautiful restaurant with its gorgeous chandeliers and art deco motifs.

We then went on to the village of Vik to meet a man who works on the oil rigs. Norway is a major oil and gas producer, and it is a very controversial topic among Norwegians. The oil and gas industry is a significant contributor to the Norwegian economy, both through exports and employment. Norway supplies 2% of the world’s oil consumption. It also has one of the strictest timelines to eliminate fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions.

Norway was the first country to operate an industrial-scale carbon capture and storage project. Carbon dioxide is a waste product of the natural gas production and large oil companies have invested in carbon capture and storage technology. The man talked about the Northern Lights Project, the world’s first project with carbon capture and storage, signed by big oil companies. Norway was once a poor country, but oil has made Norway one if the richest countries in the world.

However, this has unfortunately caused a significant environmental impact, especially with regard to greenhouse gas emissions to the sea. Norway has made significant efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, but it still continues to expand its oil and gas production, much to the dismay of the critics.

We drove back to the hotel and had our Farewell Dinner at a restaurant. Most of us will be going on to Denmark, but one in our group will be leaving tomorrow.

We enjoyed venison for dinner and it tasted just like a delicious beef steak. We had crème brûlée for dessert which I passed on to Allan, and then we bid our new friend safe travels on her way back home and we went back to the hotel to get ready for our flight to Copenhagen tomorrow.