The world's largest conference for health, the environment and safety in the oil sector takes place in Stavanger from 26-28 June with Statoil as principal sponsor.
Organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers, HSE 2000 will attract up to 1,500 delegates from almost 50 countries and is receiving just over NOK 1 million from Statoil.
"This conference puts great emphasis on encouraging dialogue between the oil industry, the authorities and interest organisations in order to improve our mutual understanding," says Stig Bergseth, the group's vice president for HES.
He adds that the companies operating in sensitive areas must be conscious of the impact their operations can have on the environment and on local communities.
Speakers at HSE 2000 are drawn from oil companies, suppliers, government authorities and supranational organisations such as the United Nations and the European Union. The international union movement and various interest organisations also participate.
This year's conference is the fifth in the series. The previous meeting was held at Caracas in Venezuela in 1998.