Norsk Hydro Asa News

The board of directors of Yara International today announced the appointment of Svein Richard Brandtzæg as the company's new President and Chief Executive Officer. He will succeed Jørgen Ole Haslestad by February 2015. Brandtzæg currently serves as President and CEO of Norsk Hydro ASA, a position he has held since 2009. Prior to this, he has held a number of management positions in Norsk Hydro. Born in Norway in 1957, Brandtzæg graduated from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He holds an economics degree from the Norwegian School of Management and a PhD from NTNU. "In preparation for the retirement of Jørgen Ole Haslestad at the age of 65, the Yara Board of Directors initiated a thorough process to identify his successor.

The Board of Norsk Hydro ASA will at the company's Annual General Meeting May 11, 2004, ask for authorization to buy back shares. Under this authorization, the Board may buy up to 2,808,810 of the company's own shares in the market, over the 18 months period commencing May 12, 2004. Each share may be purchased at prices ranging from NOK 200 to NOK 700 per share. The Board will at a subsequent General Meeting propose to cancel the purchased shares, with a corresponding write down of the share capital. Based on an agreement with the Norwegian State, Hydro's largest shareholder, the Board will also propose cancellation of a proportional part of the State's shares. The State's ownership share will therefore remain unaffected by the buyback.

The merger between Statoil ASA and Norsk Hydro ASA’s petroleum business is expected to be implemented on October 1, 2007, before the opening of the markets in Oslo that day. As a result, this will be the first day of trading in the StatoilHydro share. Friday, September 28, will be the last day that the Hydro shares will trade inclusive of the right to receive Statoil shares. Following the merger Hydro will continue as a focused aluminum company; the NHY ticker code and ISIN number NO0005052605 remain unchanged.

The Canadian province of Newfoundland plans to take a 10% stake in new oil and gas projects off its coastline, Forbes reported. The demand was contained in the provinces 35-year energy plan recently released. The province will take a 10% stake in future offshore oilfields if they meet long-term strategic objectives and will pay its share of exploration and development costs, he said. Last month the province reached an agreement with oil companies Chevron, ExxonMobil, PetroCanada and Norsk Hydro ASA, giving it a 4.9 pct stake in the offshore Hebron project. (Source: Forbes)

Billy Fredagsvik and Jørn B. Lilleby have been elected members of Norsk Hydro ASA's Board of Directors. Fredagsvik, process operator in Hydro, and Lilleby, maintenance supervisor in Hydro, replace Geir Nilsen and Ragnar Fritsvold as two of the Board’s three employee-elected representatives

Norsk Hydro ASA struck oil and natural gas reserves off the western Norway city of Bergen, reports said. The directorate described the strike as minor though no estimate was given for the size of the find. It said field partners may link the oil and gas reserve to existing production facilities at the nearby Fram field, also operated by Norsk Hydro. The Norwegian government has encouraged oil companies to look for small finds near producing offshore fields to maintain the oil flows that make the Nordic country a major oil exporter. Linking new discoveries to existing platforms sharply reduces development costs. Source: Canada East

Norsk Hydro ASA has reduced its oil and gas production target for 2007 by 3.3 percent, to 585,000 barrels of oil equivalents per day (boed) from 605,000 boed, due in large to revised production forecast for several non-Hydro-operated fields on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, including Kvitebjørn, Kristin and Volve.

Statoil and Hydro have today, May 3, 2007, received clearance from the European Commission for the announced merger between Norsk Hydro ASA's petroleum activities and Statoil ASA. The European Commission has declared that the merger is compatible with the common market pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of the EC Merger Regulation. The clearance represents a major step forward for Statoil and Hydro in order to complete the planned merger. Merger clearances are still in the process of being obtained in other jurisdictions as required by applicable laws.

Statoil and Hydro have received clearance from the European Commission for the announced merger between Norsk Hydro ASA's petroleum activities and Statoil ASA. The European Commission has declared that the merger is compatible with the common market pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of the EC Merger Regulation. The clearance represents a major step forward for Statoil and Hydro in order to complete the planned merger.

The Board of Directors of Statoil ASA and Norsk Hydro ASA have now signed the final plan to demerge Hydro as part of the planned merger of Hydro's petroleum activities with Statoil. Hydro's shareholders will own 32.7% and Statoil's shareholders will own 67.3% of the merged company. 0.8622 share in the merged company for every share they own in Hydro. industry and to be the world's biggest offshore operator. on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. which around 5,000 will come from Hydro. The name of the merged company will from the date of merger completion be called StatoilHydro ASA. and Hydro. Commission (SEC) that contains a draft prospectus regarding the merger. via a stock market announcement on the Oslo Stock Exchange (Oslo Børs). merger plan.

The Board of Directors of Statoil ASA and Norsk Hydro ASA have now signed the final plan to demerge Hydro as part of the planned merger of Hydro's petroleum activities with Statoil. Hydro's shareholders will own 32.7% and Statoil's shareholders will own 67.3% of the merged company. As recompense for the transfer of Hydro's petroleum division, Hydro's shareholders will receive a 0.8622 share in the merged company for every share they own in Hydro. The reason for the merger is a mutual desire to create a globally competitive player in the petroleum industry and to be the world's biggest offshore operator. The boards have emphasized that the merger is a growth-oriented response to the challenges facing the industry…

Husky Energy Inc. is set to launch a major new exploration effort offshore of Newfoundland, with the aim of finding oil reserves separate from its existing projects, according to a report on www.theglobeandmail.com. The company, with partner and operator Norsk Hydro ASA, are planning to begin drilling by the end of the month in the West Bonne Bay region of the Jeanne D'Arc Basin, just to the northeast of the Terra Nova project. Details are still being finalized, but the two partners have a rig contracted -- and plan to explore for 60 days. That exploration will begin as soon as Husky wraps up drilling near its White Rose project, an effort the company said yesterday will add up to 90 million barrels -- two years of production -- to that project. (Source: www.theglobeandmail.com)

Statoil ASA said the Norwegian Parliament has approved the development plan for the Tyrihans offshore oil and gas field. The $2.1 million project will see production begin in 2009, and hold estimated reserves of 182 million barrels of oil and condensate, and 34.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Statoil is the operator of the Tyrihans project, with a 46.8 percent stake. Other partners include Total, who will hold 21.51 percent following the sale of a 5 percent stake in the field to ExxonMobil, expected to be completed soon. ExxonMobil will then hold an 11.75 percent stake. Norsk Hydro ASA holds 12 percent, and Eni SpA has a 7.9 percent stake. Separately, Total said the initial plateau production at the Tyrihans field should reach 70,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2011.

Norsk Hydro ASA selected SGItechnology to expand its national and international oil exploration efforts as well as for a number of research projects. To perform seismic acoustic tomography and migration velocity analysis to determine optimal oil well drilling sites, Norsk Hydro's facility in Bergen, Norway, selected a large, shared-memory SGI Altix system. For its research center in the port city of Porsgrunn, Norsk Hydro acquired an SGI Altix for computational fluid dynamics applications and a Silicon Graphics Prism visualization system. Norsk Hydro's research center in Bergen is developing and testing different methods of imaging and working on a large variety of technical services for oil and gas production.

Norsk Hydro ASA contracted Stolt Offshore to perform AUV seabed charting in the Storegga slide August/September 2002. NUI AS with the AUV NUI Explorer was subcontracted by Stolt Offshore to perform the AUV services. Pushing the exploration and production of oil and gas into ultra-deep water is facing a significant challenge of installing subsea production equipment and transport pipelines in rough and complex seabed terrain. The pipeline systems to bring the oil and gas ashore often have to cross steep escarpments leading to shallower continental shelves. As a result detailed knowledge about seabed conditions becomes a key factor affecting the engineering and construction activities. Identification of the most optimal site and pipeline route means significant lower construction cost.

Saga Petroleum is reportedly fully capable of remaining independent if shareholders reject a takeover bid by industrial group Norsk Hydro ASA, according to company reports.