Remember, these extra costs run up by Statoil on its Aasgard field development and Kaarsto refinery upgrade were achieved at a time when the government and industry were in the middle of the much-vaunted Norsok cost reduction programme. A decade ago, then Statoil boss Arve Johnsen lost his job for cost overruns on the Mongstad refinery scheme that look insignificant by comparison with today's bungling.
Statoil judge and jury
WHAT KIND of message is sent out by the Norwegian government when it gives a clean bill of health to the country's leading oil company after racking up budget overruns of a staggering Nkr17 billion ($2.2 billion) on a single project? Complacency at best, a laughing stock at worst.
17 April 1999 0:00 GMT
Updated
17 April 1999 0:00 GMT