On behalf of Statoil (OSE:STL, NYSE:STO), DnB NOR has on 9 December 2005 purchased 127,000 shares for use in the group’s share saving plan. The shares have been acquired at a price of NOK 157.94 per share. Before distribution to the employees, the share saving plan has 841,995 shares.
When Statoil was listed in 2001, 25 million shares were established for use in a bonus programme aimed at small shareholders. The number of unused shares remaining as of 12 December 2005 is 23,441,885. These shares are recorded in the share register as Statoil's own shares, but they cannot be used by the company without the approval of the annual general meeting.