Ted Shaffrey, STF / Associated PressChris Tomlinson’s commentary recites a somewhat vague and inaccurate history of oil exploration and production in Norway.
In 1972, Norway’s parliament established a national oil company called Statoil. Mobil Oil was the first operating partner in a consortium of petroleum industries gathered together to conduct oil exploration in the Norwegian continental shelf in the North Sea. The location of the first wildcat well in the area was determined by a geologist, a geophysicist and E.J. “Jay” Medley, the CEO of Mobil Exploration Norway Inc. in October 1973.
That first well, named Waage Drill I, was spudded on Dec. 1, 1973. This well established, for the first time, that the Norwegian field, later dubbed Statfjord, was in a geologic formation separate from Great Britain’s Brent Field. Mobil went on to lead Statoil into petroleum production with its first production platform, Statfjord A, which was a Condeep platform.
The question — the obvious “elephant in the room” — is, has the electorate been reared and coached in diplomacy? The obvious answer is no. Then again, perhaps they have had one sip too many of the same Kool-Aid the GOP congressmen and congresswomen have been drinking. After drinking it, it is apparent they will follow any emperor who has no clothes.
You can’t punish a company for making statements in support of an idea or position but then allow another to donate millions of dollars in support of an opposite position or candidate.