ASTANA. 05.02.2010. KAZINFORM /Aliya Keldesheva / As earlier reported, Kazakh-Norwegian business forum, entitled "Interaction between Kazakhstan and Norway in the Energy Sector" is taking place today in Astana. The Forum is addressing how local content and capacity building can be encouraged through increased cooperation between the countries. Norwegian petroleum industry has built world class expertise and technology during the development of oil and gas resources on the Norwegian Continental Shelf during the last 40 years and has in recent years expanded into global markets delivering competitive products, expertise and technology. Several Norwegian companies have ongoing activities in Kazakhstan and are looking to expand their involvement in the petroleum sector of the country. Among those who have already presented their reports are the representatives of several Norwegian oil-and-gas companies as Statiol ASA, Aker Solutions, AGR Petroleum, ABB Limited, Norwegian Institute for Water Research and others. The Norwegian Institute for Water Research has serviced the Norwegian oil and gas market since its beginning and the presenter has been deeply involved in offshore environmental management (EM) issues since before 1980. The HSE regulations for the Norwegian offshore industry specify the EM requirements which cover the whole life cycle of a petroleum field. Detailed guidelines for offshore environmental monitoring surveys, produced by a concerted effort from public and industrial stakeholders, have been mandatory since 1990, and have ensured reliable information of the environmental status around all Norwegian offshore sites. *** Business Forum in Astana: it is rewarding, but not easy to exploit hydrocarbon riches ASTANA. 05.02.2010. KAZINFORM /Rizvana Sadykova/ As earlier reported, Kazakh-Norwegian business forum is taking place today in Astana. The Forum is addressing how local content and capacity building can be encouraged through increased cooperation between the countries. Representatives of Kazakh and Norwegian oil-and-gas companies as well as state bodies take part in the forum aimed at strengthening of the dialogue and cooperation between the two governments and the oil-and-gas industry in both countries. Among those who have already presented their reports are the representatives of Norwegian organizations as DNV Eurasia and Rogaland Training and Education Center. According to Regional Director of DNV Eurasia Nils Andreas Masvie, it is rewarding, but not easy to exploit hydrocarbon riches in a way which meets both economic, safety, environmental and national interests. Most of the easily accessible oil has already been produced, and Kazakhstan's situation is not much different; in particular will the oil and gas developments in the Caspian Sea require world class efforts and technologies. As General Manager of Rogaland Training and Education Center Ole Imsland informed the focus of the Center has been on development of Law and Regulations for VET, management training for School directors, upgrading of teachers and curricula, and the use of ICT in education. The last years it has been a special focus on regional cooperation between authorities, industry and educational bodies. Det Norske Veritas (DNV) is a global provider of services for managing risk. An independent foundation with the objective of safeguarding life, property and the environment, DNV comprises 300 offices in 100 countries, with about 9,000 employees. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, DNV operates in multiple industries internationally and has a strong market presence and a large customer base in the maritime, oil & gas, process and transportations sectors. RKK- Rogaland Training and Education Centre is 20 years, and is Norway's biggest Training Centre in Vocational Education, and has focused especially on the Oil&Gas sector. RKK delivers vocational training in many countries based on contracts with Governments and major companies in the Oil&Gas sector. The main goal is to provide a local workforce. RKK has been working in Kazakhstan since 2004 in close cooperation with NNEF - Nursultan Nazarbayev Educational Foundation and (MES)-Ministry of Education and Science.