The companies BP, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips have all been engaged in oil drilling in the northern parts of Alaska since the 1960s and must be considered more experienced, the newspaper writes. StatoilHydro has made the Barents Sea and the Arctic a top area of priority and is prepared to invest big money in the area. Last year, the company started production at Snohvit the first ever field in production in the Barents Sea and won a 24 percent stake in the Russian Shtokman field. In addition, the Norwegian company paid 14 million USD for 16 exploration blocks in the Chukchi Sea north of Alaska. Dagens Næringsliv argues that StatoilHydros investment in the Chukchi Sea is minor considering that Shell cashed out 2,1 billion USD for 275 blocks in the same area. Also ConocoPhillips invested major sums in the area with its 500 million USD for 98 blocks.
