Norwegian Oil Regulator Restricts Visits on Coronavirus Fears

Norway's oil and gas industry regulator has introduced restrictions with regard to the presence in its offices for persons who have been in areas with the prolonged spread of coronavirus.

"If you have been in these areas during the last 14 days, you must not participate in meetings in the Directorate.," the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said Wednesday.

"Which areas this applies to is being updated on a continuous basis on the Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s website. The overview may be changed at short notice, so you are responsible for staying up to date with regard to the relevant areas," the regulator said.

"The restriction applies for 14 days after you return home. If you are in doubt, contact the person who invited you to the meeting. Contact the chair of the meeting to clarify whether you can participate via telephone or Skype.

"If you are scheduled to visit or have a meeting in the NPD’s offices, we ask that you do not shake hands. It is also important that you are vigilant with personal hygiene while you are in our offices," it said.

Worth reminding, Equinor, Norway's largest oil company on Wednesday morning confirmed a case of coronavirus infection on its Martin Linge offshore project.

"The person is not seriously ill. Equinor is in dialogue with the Norwegian health authorities about further measures," Equinor said Wednesday.

"The infected person has been in isolation in his cabin since 9 March. Measures to prevent further contamination for offshore installations have been introduced," the company added. Read more on that here 

According to a report on Tuesday by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, there were 277 confirmed coronavirus infections in Norway at the time of the report.

"The majority are either infected abroad or are close contacts to these cases. A total of 81 cases were infected in Norway. 73 of the cases are known to be close contacts of a positive COVID-19 case. For 8 of the cases infected in Norway, the source is not yet clarified. 193 cases were infected abroad and for 3 the place of infection is not yet clarified," the institute said.