wonton2

I meant compared to other similar efforts. Since Statoil is a publicly owned company with its main goals being political, not economic.

I agree with your bottom line. I was going to say they have talked about wind farms at sea since 2008, but that fits well with what you say. I see I seem too cynical, but i still think they are very late to the game. Especially considering how far denmark have come, given this project probably is inspired by the danish focus on wind power, and the competency of Statoil on offshore constructions.

Statoil has done offshore drilling since the 70s, the people who work there probably know more than anyone else in the world about designing and operating very large machinery at sea. You can read more on their web pages or search the web for statoil to find examples of what i mean.

It is also important to mention that this project happened because of the falling oil price, and Statoil needing to find alternative stuff to do. Not diversify their sources of income, but literally give their enployees something to do. A lot of highly educated people lost their jobs in Norway during the last few years, and a windpower project would be one way to get public funding and avoid firing too many employees (this is of political interest, Statoil don't need half of their eployees). I am not saying the project would never have happened, but it probably happened now and not in ten years because of this. Bottom line: this is busywork imposed on a huge, slow, old fashioned oil company which will never be able to compete comercially.