The UK and Norway yesterday agreed to increase the levels of co-operation between the two countries as they attempt to re-establish the North Sea as one of the world's leading energy hubs. The two governments recognize the "growing potential for North Sea marine renewable energy projects to bring new investment and green job opportunities and to strengthen energy security in the region".

The British energy minister Charles Hendry and his Norwegian counterpart Terje Riis-Johansen signed the pact in a ministerial statement at the 2010 ONS energy conference in Stavanger, Norway, and set out a list of priorities that the two governments have agreed to tackle together.

The statement said both governments would encourage offshore wind energy farm developers operating in the North Sea to share information in order to bring down costs across the industry. It would also offer support to projects being undertaken by National Grid and Norwegian grid operator Statnett to assess the feasibility of an interconnector between the two countries.

The ministers agree to share information to promote enhanced oil recovery techniques

The ministers also agreed to work together to encourage developing countries to roll out renewable energy technologies such as offshore wind farms. Moreover, the statement also indicated that the two countries will join forces at upcoming international negotiations on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies, as they attempt to accelerate the development of projects around the North Sea that will aim to store captured carbon under the sea bed.

While committing to rolling out clean technologies, the ministers both stressed that they would continue to work together to support the North Sea oil and gas industry. The statement acknowledges the "need to apply new technology for the further development of North Sea petroleum resources in the most efficient, safe and environmentally responsible manner". It also points out s that the two countries will share information to promote enhanced oil recovery techniques and improve safety procedures, particularly following the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

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