The Chamber opens it doors to Michel Hajjar, Managing Director and Country Chair at TotalEnergies Norway

The CCFN is working closely with TotalEnergies in Norway on energy transition, decarbonization and related forums and events, especially through our Energy Committee. We sat down with Managing Director and Country Chair for TotalEnergies in Norway, Michel Hajjar, to discuss TotalEnergies’ business in Norway and outlook.

Could you please tell us about your professional background and how you experienced your first year in Norway?

I have been with TotalEnergies for the past 25 years, working at our headquarters in Paris, as well in the Middle East. At our headquarters, I built a strong foundation in financial management and strategic planning, and my last role before coming to Norway in 2023 was as Vice President Finance Control at TotalEnergies company level. My time in the Middle East has also been valuable, among other allowing me to navigate business landscapes within different local cultures, contributing to significant projects for TotalEnergies.

Moving to Norway as the Managing Director and Country Chair has been an exciting experience. Norway’s focus on sustainability and innovation aligns well with TotalEnergies’ ambition. In fact, Norway and TotalEnergies share the same strategy aligned around two energy pillars; continue and improve low emission production of oil and gas whilst developing renewables and low carbon molecules. My first year has been marked by a deep appreciation for the collaborative spirit and innovative forward-thinking mindset of the business here. I am enthusiastic about the opportunities ahead and look forward to continuing our efforts in driving sustainable energy solutions in Norway.

TotalEnergies is celebrating 100 years in 2024 and has been established in Norway for 60 years. How do you analyze the evolution of your activities on the Norwegian continental shelf ? And how are opportunities in Norway seen from your headquarters today?

TotalEnergies is proud to celebrate 100 years in 2024 and it is indeed 60 years ago that we signed our first collaboration contract for operations in Norway. The evolution of our activities on the Norwegian continental shelf has been remarkable. From our pioneering efforts in the late 1960’s participating to the development of Ekofisk, still going strong today, we now have an enviable portfolio of oil and gas assets stretching from the greater Ekofisk area in the very South to Snøhvit and LNG production in the North. We have important participating interests in key fields like Johan Sverdrup, which is fully electrified from shore, and the giant natural gas field Troll, also partly electrified as announced earlier this month. And we are one of three equal partners in the world’s first carbon transportation and storage business for third party customers, Northern Lights, where we will celebrate project completion of the facilities in Øygarden together with Norway and our partners on 26 September.

TotalEnergies continuously work on the transition towards more sustainable energy solutions and the Norwegian continental shelf is one of several interesting arenas well regarded at TotalEnergies senior management level. The collaborative environment, pragmatic approach and stable Norwegian regulatory framework provide a solid foundation for our ongoing and future projects.

What are the main challenges facing your group in Norway today? And in which areas do you see opportunities for future projects or partnerships?

Whilst production of Norwegian oil and gas is among the cleanest in the world, balancing our traditional oil and gas operations with the imperative to transition to more sustainable energy sources is a challenge for our society and the industry as a whole. TotalEnergies is dedicated to reducing our carbon footprint and achieving net-zero emissions together with society by 2050, which requires substantial investment and innovation. Already, TotalEnergies’ investment policy involves one third of annual investments being allocated to maintaining oil and gas production and one third being allocated to new oil and gas projects. The last third of our global investment budget is allocated to developing renewable energy sources and low carbon molecules.

Recognizing that we will need both petroleum and low carbon solutions going forward, significant opportunities remain in Norway. We are committed to ensuring that our operations here are conducted responsibly and sustainably in line with our global strategy.