”Both companies stressed the importance of their operations in Kristiansand. They refer to their subsidiaries in Agder as both creative and highly competent. There are no indications that they are considering withdrawing from Norway”, says Furre.
Friday he met CEO Clay Williams and Chief Technology Officer Hege Kverneland at the headquarters of National Oilwell Varco in Houston, and then went on to meet with Hunter Jones, President Drilling Systems at Cameron and Tom Fidjeland, CEO of Cameron Sense in Kristiansand.
The purpose of the meetings was to show how Kristiansand, the Agder region and Norway in general are excellent places to develop businesses, both in good and bad times.
“When the upturn comes for the oil and gas industry, I would like to see the major companies rebuild their businesses in and around Kristiansand”, says Furre.
He talked about the close relations between the companies’ management in Kristiansand and local and regional authorities. And he highlighted the Norwegian funding agencies, which NOV is very familiar with, after receiving MNOK 30 in funding from the Research Council of Norway recently.
