All posts by Margrethe Harboe

KSAT Inc selected by NOAA to investigate future ground station architectures

Business News, Defense / Security

KSAT will analyze technologies and methodologies to enable a Network-Centric ground station model to support future NOAA programs. 


KSAT Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of the world leading ground station as a service provider, Kongsberg Satellite Services – KSAT, will conduct a study to evaluate the future of satellite ground networks for NOAAs demanding mission applications. During this study, KSAT will analyze how recent developments in phased array antennas, API’s, ground network virtualization, and data processing are enabling a network-centric approach to ground stations.

A network-centric approach emphasizes connectivity and interoperability among multiple ground stations to enable timely data delivery, resilient information flow, and cost optimization. What would it take for Ground Station services to resemble terrestrial cellular networks more closely? How do we leverage common interfaces to make ground networks more resilient and affordable? KSAT takes the lead in a NOAA study to answer these questions and others.

Read full article, here.

Equinor to accelerate digital transformation with Seeq analytics, AI platform

Business News, Energy

(WO) – Seeq, a leader in industrial analytics, AI, and monitoring, and Equinor announced a multi-year commercial agreement for the Seeq Industrial Analytics and AI platform, to be leveraged across Equinor’s global assets to further accelerate digital transformation outcomes.

Equinor will implement Seeq’s platform to empower its engineering teams to optimize production and improve energy performance across a variety of assets. Initially, the company plans to leverage Seeq to monitor well and process behavior, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of daily operations to maximize production, enhance workforce collaboration and increase efficiency.

Seeq delivers a self-service, industrial analytics and AI platform that accesses and leverages vast amounts of historically underused data. By incorporating leading-edge technologies, including AI, machine learning and other capabilities, into its platform and leveraging its global partner network, Seeq powers a range of use cases for employees across the enterprise to accelerate digital transformation outcomes such as operational excellence and profitability, workforce upskilling, and sustainability.

Read full article here.

President Biden Announces Key Nominees

Business News, Government

WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve as key leaders in his administration:

  • Mark Angelson, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Norway
  • Michael G. Heath, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Malawi


Mark Angelson, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Norway

Mark Angelson has had a distinguished career in law, in business, in education, and as a dedicated public servant. Service as a member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board is just one of Angelson’s recent roles. Others include serving as Chair of the Institute of International Education, which administers the Fulbright Scholarships and other programs for the Departments of State and Defense; Chair of the Rutgers University Board of Governors; and Member, Council on Foreign Relations Membership Committee. Angelson is a former Deputy Mayor of Chicago. He is a prominent business leader who has served as Chairman and CEO of two Canadian public companies and CEO of RR Donnelley, at the time a Fortune 200 Company that did business the world over. His earlier, distinguished career as an international lawyer was capped by his role as a partner in the firm of Sidley & Austin, where he practiced in the Republic of Singapore; New York, New York; and London, England. His service in education also includes service as a Life Trustee of Northwestern University and Adjunct Professor of Mergers and Acquisitions at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Angelson earned B.A., J.D., and Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degrees from Rutgers University.

Read full press release here.

Proactive Security in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

AmCham News

Proactive Security in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Together with the US Embassy, AmCham hosted a session on AI technologies and what they mean for the security of your business, institutions, and data. AmCham member representatives and members of our Tech Talent Network were welcomed with opening remarks from Chargé d’affaires Sharon Hudson-Dean, followed by an informative panel discussion together with representatives from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), and DNB.

AI – especially generative – has rapidly evolved from poor to excellent performance, but future threats remain unpredictable, necessitating proactive defense strategies for businesses and institutions. Balancing budgets between investing in new AI technologies and updating end-of-life systems is crucial to avoid falling behind. The high cost of hardware creates a divide between large, well-funded companies relative to their smaller counterparts. AI should be integrated as a collaborative platform rather than just a tool, with experts needed to discern the value of AI outputs due to AI’s language-based perceived intelligence. Thus, with AI’s power to convince, the need for competency in reading AI outputs will become increasingly important. 

Speaker

 Sharon Hudson-Dean

Misleading AI advice and misuse, such as swatting for amusement, pose significant risks. Great attention in the media on the good, bad, and ugly of AI has pushed the field into the policy-making spotlight and we are seeing an increasing amount of legislation being debated around the world. Regulatory frameworks are essential to guide AI use, balancing safety, public well-being, and business freedom. The public sector, despite needing AI the most, is likely to adopt it last, but there’s a growing cultural shift towards valuing security and public safety. Improved collaboration between public and private sectors will foster better regulation and policy development.

The main takeaway? Stay informed!

Wintershall Dea to deploy Halliburton’s “industry first” drilling solution offshore Norway

Business News, Energy, Shipping & Offshore

(WO) – Halliburton Company and Wintershall Dea have announced a license agreement, under which Wintershall Dea will use Halliburton Landmark’s new Unified Ensemble Modeling (UEM) solution.

Source: Wintershall Dea
UEM is an innovative approach that, for the first time, simultaneously integrates static and dynamic data in real time to represent subsurface conditions across multiple scales. This method improves the accuracy of reservoir models by consistently incorporating geologic uncertainties, making UEM vital to optimize reservoir recovery under uncertainty.

The first application of DecisionSpace 365 will be deployed in Norway’s Maria offshore field. UEM allows Wintershall Dea to continuously update their risk assessments for active drilling programs after drilling each new well. This continuous cycle of evaluation and adjustment is critical to increase drilling efficiency, reduce costs, and improve worker safety.

“The ability to update a drilling target and its uncertainties in real time provides operators unparalleled decision-making capabilities”, said Nagaraj Srinivasan, senior vice president, Landmark, Halliburton Digital Solutions and Consulting. “By updating earth models at speeds never before possible with well data acquired while drilling, Wintershall Dea will align subsurface and drilling objectives, thereby improving well productivity at a lower cost.”

The real-time drilling data will enrich Wintershall Dea’s database and help to refine model realizations and uncertainties. This rapid pace of model updates is made possible through Landmark’s unique ensemble-based technologies and workflows.

Read full article here.

AmCham Mentorship Program Kickoff 2024-2025

AmCham News

AmCham Mentorship Program Kickoff 2024-2025 – Leading for Impact & International Perspectives

The 2024-2025 and ninth edition of the AmCham Mentorship Program kicked off at BI Norwegian Business School’s Oslo campus, including 78 program participants from 34 Patron member companies across 10 industries – emphasizing the unique, cross-industry design of the program.

A Unique Collaborative Platform

Welcoming guests to BI Norwegian Business School was BI’s Provost for Research, Learning, and Impact, Harald Øverby. Øverby has extensive experience in teaching and has published over 100 academic papers and has taught and developed university courses for more than 20 years. His opening remarks provided insights, deep purpose, and the history of mentorship – including the importance of shaping the leaders of tomorrow. 

The session’s first keynote speaker, BI’s Thomas Hoholm, Head of Department – Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, presented Leading for impact in times of turbulence and uncertainty. 

Hoholm, drawing from his research on innovation and entrepreneurship, guided us through expertise and practical knowledge in “future-making,” as well as the importance of creating an environment for learning and openness. His presentation centered on his deep experience in mentoring innovators and change-makers.  

"Understand the meaning, stay open.”

Thomas Hoholm
Photo: Alexander Eriksson / BI Norwegian Business School
Photo: Alexander Eriksson / BI Norwegian Business School
Photo: Alexander Eriksson / BI Norwegian Business School
Photo: Alexander Eriksson / BI Norwegian Business School
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Harald Øverby

Thomas Hoholm

Amber S Gell

Amber S. Gell, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), gave us a crash course An International Perspective on Leadership: Best practices and perceptions that transcend cultural boundaries. 

Amber is passionate about space exploration, particularly human spaceflight, where teamwork is essential. With extensive experience in the American aerospace industry, including contributions to NASA’s Orion Spacecraft and the UK’s Spaceflight Program, she excels as an executive leader and strategist within the international space and defense sector. She informed us on communication styles and function, as well as deftly demonstrating how “business is a team sport!” 

“You can lead from any place and any position..”

Amber S Gell

Participating Companies 2024-25:

About the AmCham Mentorship Program

With its unique cross-industry orientation, AmCham’s Mentorship Program offers a dynamic, internationally minded arena for leadership development. 

The program pairs emerging corporate talent with seasoned executives from AmCham Patron-level member companies. The result: a collaborative arena that fosters improvement and reflection, prepares young leaders for the challenges of the international marketplace, and forges bonds between AmCham’s transatlantic member companies. 

The Mentorship program is available to Patron-level members of AmCham Norway. For further information and interest in the program, please contact Janice Gundersen at jg@amcham.no.  

Past Mentorship Program Events

Equinor inngår partnerskap med Standard Lithium

Business News, Energy

Equinor har inngått en avtale med Standard Lithium Ltd om å kjøpe 45 % i to litium prosjektselskaper i Sørvest-Arkansas og Øst-Texas.

– Bærekraftig produsert litium kan bidra til energiomstillingen, og vi tror dette kan bli en lønnsom virksomhet. Denne investeringen er en opsjon med begrenset initiell økonomisk forpliktelse. Vi kan utnytte teknologi fra olje- og gassvirksomheten i et komplementært partnerskap for å modne disse prosjektene frem mot en mulig endelig investeringsbeslutning, sier Morten Halleraker, direktør for New Business and Investments i forretningsområdet Teknologi, Digital og Innovasjon i Equinor.

Read full article, here.

ConocoPhillips begins oil production from $1.2 billion Eldfisk North project in North Sea ahead of schedule

Business News, Energy

(WO) – The licensees of the Eldfisk Field, operated by ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS, announced successful first oil production on the Eldfisk North Project, in the Greater Ekofisk Area of the North Sea. Oil and gas resources from the new project development are being produced ahead of schedule.

In December 2022, the Norwegian authorities approved the Eldfisk North Plan for Development and Operation (PDO), with original production start scheduled in the second quarter of 2024. Cooperation and efficiency across companies has allowed oil to flow earlier than expected.

The Eldfisk North Project comprises three 6-well subsea templates approximately 7 km from the Eldfisk Complex. The PDO included drilling of up to 14 wells, nine of which are producers. The other five will inject water into the reservoir.

The Eldfisk North Project will use available capacity at Eldfisk 2/7 S for processing and transportation, utilizing existing infrastructure in the Greater Ekofisk Area.

Read full article here.



FREYR Battery’s update on operational milestones, strategic growth plans, and community engagement.

Business News, Energy

Dive into the latest from FREYR Battery with updates on our operational milestones, strategic growth plans, and community engagement.

A Peek Inside FREYR’s Customer Qualification Plant.
Located in the scenic Mo i Rana, Northern Norway, FREYR’s Customer
Qualification Plant (CQP) stretches over 13,000 m², embodying
cutting-edge battery technology and innovation. Our 4-minute video tour showcases the meticulous journey of semi-solid battery creation. Experience the precision and dedication behind our process, validating the next generation of batteries for a sustainable future.

Read full article here.

California and Norway Ink New Climate Partnership

Business News, Energy

LARKSPUR – California took significant new climate action with another partner today: Norway.

Governor Gavin Newsom welcomed a delegation from Norway led by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon. Following a stop at San Quentin focused on criminal justice reform, the California and Norway delegations visited the Larkspur Ferry Terminal – with the backdrop of one of the world’s first clean hydrogen fuel cell passenger ferries – to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance climate collaboration.

The MOU outlines four years of cooperation between California and Norway on clean energy, zero-emission transportation and ports, carbon removal and climate-smart agriculture. 

Read full article, here.