 Satisfied Petoro personnel: Line Geheb and Niklas Trones. Photo: Kjell Jørgen Holbye Great opportunities in PetoroLine Geheb and Niklas Trones agree that Petoro is an exciting place to work, and offers great opportunities for personal progress.  | |||
Varied assignments, a big development potential, the possibility of working at a strategic level, good colleagues and a pleasant social setting are among the qualities highlighted by Trones. “I almost have to pinch myself at getting the broad insight into the industry which working here provides. I’d probably have a much more narrowly defined job in another oil company.” He has been working for almost a year as an adviser in Petoro’s marketing department, which monitors Statoil’s sale of government petroleum at the downstream end of the business. “We’re responsible for ensuring that these sales occur in a way which maximises the state’s assets,” says the 28-year-old, who has an MSc in energy management from Bodø University College. His job includes acting as the link between the licence and marketing departments to pick up issues in the licences which could be significant for the way oil and – particularly – gas are marketed. These could involve decisions related to infrastructure and transport routes, for example. | Trones says that his assignments could hardly suit him better. “The job’s really, really interesting, and suits both my education and my interests. “Its best aspect is that it covers such a broad range – everything from geopolitical insights to knowledge of contractual conditions on the Norwegian continental shelf [NCS].” He is particularly attracted by the opportunities to think long-term and to participate in strategic assessments. This is exciting – and demanding. “This is really a case of being thrown in at the deep end for someone with such short experience, so you’ve got to swim fast.” “You do that,” Geheb assures him. With an MSc in chemical technology, she has been six years in Petoro after 21 with Shell and is now an asset manager in the licence department. Her job is to safeguard Petoro’s interests in Gullfaks and Grane, and she highlights the opportunity to acquire an overall long-term perspective which the company provides. | “I’ve enjoyed the shift from an operational job as a chief negotiator for Shell to a job with an overview which would be hard to get in other companies unless you’re very senior.” Geheb believes that Petoro’s long-term approach in the licences is appreciated by the other partners. “In many respects, we complement and supplement them. I get the impression this is valued. It’s important somebody takes that role.” Petoro manages a third of Norway’s petroleum reserves and is responsible for huge assets on behalf of the Norwegian community. That confers great influence – and not least responsibility. This in turn makes it important to behave and communicate consistently – which is something both Geheb and Trones are very conscious of. “We’re a small and very flat organisation, without cumbersome bureaucratic processes,” Trones observes, and says this means the gap between recommendation and decision is small. That in turn places a great load on the shoulders of each employee, who must be certain they are providing the right advice. “The fact that there’s so few of us means we must be careful how we spend our time,” says Geheb. “We’re important.” | |