# Phillips Petroleum's 55 years of Ekofisk **URL:** \ **Category:** Offshore\ **Created:** [April 22, 2024, 12:15pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/phillips-petroleums-55-years-of-ekofisk/69235 "2024-04-22T12:15:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2024, 12:15pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/phillips-petroleums-55-years-of-ekofisk/69235/1 "2024-04-22T12:15:07Z")
Here is an article form 2019 celebrating 50 years since the first oil was found at the Elofisk Field in Norwegian sector of the North Sea: > **[50 years of Ekofisk](https://www.conocophillips.com/spiritnow/story/50-years-of-ekofisk/)** > > By Jan Hester > The discovery of the Ekofisk field in 1969 was a turning point for Phillips Petroleum, the oil and gas industry, and the nation of Norway.   > In 1969, Phillips Petroleum Co. was in the doldrums. Earnings were in a slump, management... 5 years on and Ekofisk field is still producing: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/4/0/401cbf991468f10ab3ac8b798bda8e8294aeb593.jpeg) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/3/e/3ef3869ebf52d54c8eaff3235156f14e070e41ca.jpeg) > **[Greater Ekofisk Area](https://www.conocophillips.no/what-we-do/greater-ekofisk-area/)** > > The Greater Ekofisk Area is located in the southern part of the North Sea, 300 kilometers southwest of Stavanger. > **[Oil & gas field profile: Ekofisk Conventional Oil Field, Norway](https://www.offshore-technology.com/marketdata/oil-gas-field-profile-ekofisk-conventional-oil-field-norway/)** > > Ekofisk is a conventional oil development located in shallow water in Norway and is operated by ConocoPhillips Skandinavia ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 11:59am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/phillips-petroleums-55-years-of-ekofisk/69235/2 "2024-04-28T11:59:54Z")
Contrary to popular belief Norway wasn’t a “dirt poor country dependent on fishing and farming before oil was found”. In fact when Phillips Petroleum applied for exploration rights in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea in 1962 Norway was the 5th richest country in Europe, at GDP per capita of US$ 1720. Norway also had the 3rd largest shipping fleet in the world. (10% of world’s merchant fleet): ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/b/0/b0ffc0c643da272076714519197b6618e2b6cecf.jpeg) Source: [A Brief Introduction to Norwegian Shipping | SpringerLink](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-95639-8_1) When the first (dry) well was drilled in 1966 Norway was the 6th richest at US$ 2150 GDP pc When the first oil was found in the Norwegian sector Norway still held 5th place at US$ 3248 GDP pc When first oil was produced at Ekofisk in 1971 Norway was at 4th place at US$ 3922 GDP pc From there Norway has moved up and down on the list of richest countries in Europe, until it reached 2nd place (behind Luxemburg) in 2022 at US$ 108729 GDP pc. Source: [https://fb.watch/rJYdkjho78/](https://fb.watch/rJYdkjho78/) On the world ranking norway has moved from #9 in 1962 to #2 in 2022 (Still behind Luxemburg, with Ireland as #3 Source: [https://fb.watch/rJYU9YnbqL/](https://fb.watch/rJYU9YnbqL/) PS\> The surprise packet on the lists are Ireland, moving from the bottom in 1962 to 3rd place in 2022