Nina Birgitte Koch is Equinor’s senior vice president in Africa
Q: What has Equinor’s presence meant for the country in which you’re the senior vice president?
A: Equinor is an important and reputable company in Angola, with a long history. We’ve had a presence here for 30 years and have contributed to greater transparency, for example by openly publishing information about the taxes we pay. We work closely with the authorities and other oil companies to ensure a high standard of business integrity and ethics.
Equinor contributes vast amounts of tax and fee revenue, in addition to contributing to several successful social projects within education, human rights and the environment. In 2021, we actually paid more than USD 1.4 billion in taxes and fees!
Q: What does the energy transition look like where you are?
A: Angola has a major potential for developing a renewable industry, and solar energy projects are especially active now. There are possibilities for establishing projects that are considerable social assets here because parts of the country still lack access to electricity.
Equinor has very extensive experience and broad core expertise within technology, operating models and reducing carbon footprints. We also have considerable experience within development and field operation. We are bringing all of this experience with us in Angola, to make a difference.
Among other things, we’re working to make oil production more climate friendly by reducing the carbon footprint. We’re utilising valuable experience from the Norwegian shelf and are actively driving progress. We have a major project called “Closed flare” on one of the production vessels, with the goal of reducing CO₂ emissions by 1.2 billion tonnes in the period from 2023-2040. The way I see it, the knowledge we possess will be even more important in the future.
Q: What are your thoughts on the ambition of becoming climate-neutral by 2050?
A: A big, specific ambition is necessary in order to get the right things done. It provides motivation and gives us a clear direction. That being said, the expectations are sky-high. No matter what we do, it can be perceived as “too little, too late”, even if we’re actually doing a lot.
Q: Cooperation is essential for achieving the ambitious climate goals. In what way is this important in your work?
A: Cooperation between companies is necessary for implementing the tough measures that are required. Moreover, cooperation with the authorities is key for achieving these goals. The authorities are the ones who set the standards, but the companies also play an important part and must be dedicated to the climate work. The time of “just” doing what we’re required to do has come to an end. Now, the major oil companies are often at the forefront of these efforts - and this should make us proud!
