Environmental challenges in oil drilling off the Lofoten Islands

In connection with plans for increased oil and gas production off Lofoten, the oil vs. fish issue is currently a central theme. According to the petroleum industry it is not a question of either fish or oil as there will be both fish and oil. But the green movement holds tight on fish only. Judging from the good experience from oil production in the south there is little reason for concern when the operations move towards the ice edge in the north. The most important load on the environment is due to produced water, which is water that is naturally present in the reservoir and comes up along with the oil. This water contains some oil and poisonous chemicals that cannot conveniently be removed on the older platforms in the North Sea. In oil production off Lofoten, however, the produced water will be collected and have no impact on the environment. The amount of water produced in the North Sea is increasing, but the oil companies are constantly working to reduce the emissions of chemicals and the goal is zero emission of hazardous substances to the sea by 2005. Regarding the operations in the north, it is likely that produced water will be injected and deposited