This week, Hege Susanne Blåsternes took up her position as Director of Offshore development and technology (OUT) in the Norwegian Offshore Directorate.

"I believe in the Norwegian Offshore Directorate's principal objective to contribute to the greatest possible values for society from oil and gas activities on the NCS. In this position, I'll have the opportunity to contribute to good, long-term decisions that can lead to us utilising the resources we have left in the best possible way," she says.

Blåsternes has more than 20 years of experience from the oil and gas industry and extensive management experience. Among other things, she holds the equivalent of a master's degree in petroleum physics and has substantial expertise in the subsea disciplines in the oil and gas industry.

"Despite facing a decline in production in the years to come, I'm confident that substantial values still remain on the NCS. They need to be developed in the best possible way. This also means that we all need to do our part in finding new solutions and that we demonstrate the willingness to change. As authorities, we need to work with the players on the shelf to achieve this together. I truly believe that we'll succeed in this effort."

In her new position, she will be responsible for offshore development , which includes promoting cooperation in the industry, in addition to developing and adopting new technology.

"This doesn't mean simply cherry-picking solutions that most benefit the individual licensees or the companies, but rather ensuring that the decisions are made in a broader context. We have a lot to gain from improved recovery, working smarter and more cost-effectively by developing and adopting new technology."