Frigg discovered Frigg discovery on UKCS

Elf moves to Stavanger

by Trude Meland, Norwegian Petroleum Museum

Elf Norge AS had offices in both Oslo and Stavanger from 1967. Administrative functions were based in the capital, while the technical department head by Paul le Rest was in Stavanger. Immediately after the discovery of Frigg in 1971, it was resolved to move the administrative department to the latter city.

— The Norwegian, the French, and ELF's flag. Photo: Robert P. Johannessen/Norwegian Petroleum Museum

Operating a company with administrative and technical functions in different locations had proved difficult. So Bernard Moysset moved in July to Stavanger with the job of building up an administrative department.

The Oslo office was shut down, and Elf Norge only had premises in Stavanger within a few months. This also proved inappropriate. Gilles Montegudet was accordingly dispatched from Paris to reopen the Oslo office, which focused on contacts with politicians and the civil service.

The organisation and division of functions in Stavanger was put in place, with Michael Berthon responsible for exploration, Moysset in charge of administration, human resources, finance and collaboration, and Jean Renoux as head of production. Le Rest became managing director in Norway.

Even after this structure had been established in Stavanger, however, development of Frigg was led from Paris.

With the merger of the administrative and technical departments, the base at Strømsteinen in Stavanger became too small and it was resolved to find a new location. A lease for a base site at Dusavik was secured by Elf Norge from Torolf Smedvig in the autumn of 1971.

Smedvig undertook to level the area and erect an office building. Twenty employees were able to move into 1 300 square metres of warehousing and offices in midsummer 1972.