Cooperation now and in the future was on the agenda when the top managements of Statoil and Russia's Gazprom met in Stavanger on Friday.
Gazprom chairman Rem Vyakhirev headed the six-strong Russian delegation, reports Sigmund Helland, head of Statoil's Russia team at head office.
They were responding to an invitation issued by Statoil chief executive Harald Norvik when he visited Moscow in May.
Existing collaboration with Gazprom relates to oil operations in the Pechora Sea off northern Russia, where the two partners are involved in three exploration licences.
The drilling of a well in one of these holdings was recently concluded, and the results are now being evaluated by Statoil and Gazprom.
A cooperation programme focused on the Pechora Sea has also been established between the two partners and Norway's Norsk Hydro group.