Equinor

Corporate brand

Norwegian multinational energy company with major oil and gas operations and growing investments in offshore wind, carbon capture and other lower-carbon businesses. Statoil was Norway's state-founded oil and energy company and an international fuel-station brand that was renamed Equinor in 2018.

Last updated October 13, 2026

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Overview

Equinor ASA is a Norwegian multinational energy company headquartered in Stavanger. Its heritage begins with Den Norske Stats Oljeselskap, established by the Norwegian Parliament in 1972 to give Norway a direct role in developing petroleum resources on its continental shelf and to build domestic technical and industrial capabilities. The company was long known as Statoil, a name that reflected its original status as the Norwegian state oil company. It became a publicly listed company in 2001, while the Norwegian government retained a controlling ownership interest. The modern Equinor was created through the 2007 combination of Statoil and Norsk Hydro’s oil and gas activities. The merged group temporarily operated as StatoilHydro before returning to the Statoil name in 2009. In 2018, it adopted the name Equinor. The new name combined a reference to equality and balance with “Nor,” signaling Norwegian origin, and was intended to represent a broader energy portfolio rather than a business identified only with petroleum. Oil and natural gas remain central to the company. Equinor explores for, develops, operates, transports and markets hydrocarbons, with Norway’s continental shelf as its historic core. Major Norwegian assets and developments include the Gullfaks, Oseberg, Snøhvit and Johan Sverdrup areas. The company has also operated or held interests in international fields and basins, including the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan, Canada and the United States. Its downstream history included fuel stations and other petroleum-related activities, although parts of that business were later separated or sold. Equinor has also positioned itself as an energy-transition company. It developed the Hywind floating-wind technology, commissioned the Hywind Scotland floating offshore-wind farm, and has pursued fixed and floating offshore-wind projects in Europe and the United States. Its broader lower-carbon activities include carbon capture and storage, hydrogen-related opportunities and renewable power. The company has nevertheless remained exposed to debate over the climate impact of continued oil and gas production and over the pace and credibility of its transition strategy. Norway remains the government’s principal shareholder, with the state’s interest managed on behalf of the government. Equinor is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and in the United States. It operates internationally and has historically employed more than twenty thousand people. The company’s present identity therefore combines three elements: a state-backed Norwegian petroleum champion, a globally active producer and marketer of oil and gas, and an energy company attempting to expand into offshore wind and other lower-carbon technologies.

History

Equinor’s history is closely tied to Norway’s development as a petroleum-producing nation. On 14 July 1972, the Norwegian Parliament created Den Norske Stats Oljeselskap as a state-owned limited company. Its purpose was not simply to extract oil: the company was expected to ensure Norwegian participation in offshore development, create national competence and support the formation of a domestic petroleum industry. It gradually expanded from exploration into processing, petrochemicals, transport, marketing and retail fuel. Statoil obtained operator responsibilities on the Norwegian continental shelf, including the Gullfaks field, and became a central instrument of national resource policy. During the 1980s it pursued greater vertical integration, developed processing capacity at places including Mongstad and Rafnes, and built a service-station network. The Mongstad crisis of the late 1980s became one of the company’s most serious early controversies and contributed to the resignation of chief executive Arve Johnsen. The company also faced industrial action and environmental opposition, including protests concerning a proposed research centre at Rotvoll in Trondheim. The wider corporate family later included Norsk Hydro’s petroleum activities and Saga Petroleum. Hydro had become an important North Sea operator, while its 1999 acquisition of Saga strengthened its upstream portfolio. In December 2006, Statoil and Norsk Hydro announced a combination of their oil and gas operations. Following European and Norwegian approvals, the merger was completed in 2007. The resulting company was initially called StatoilHydro, with Statoil shareholders holding the larger portion. After a period under the temporary name, the company reverted to Statoil ASA in November 2009. Statoil became a public limited company and was listed in 2001, reducing but not ending direct state ownership. The government later increased its holding toward the long-term 67 percent target. International expansion included oil sands interests in Canada, shale-related assets in the United States, offshore positions in Brazil and Azerbaijan, and natural-gas sales into European markets. The group also divested or reorganized selected activities, including the separation and subsequent sale of Statoil Fuel & Retail and the disposal of certain Canadian oil-sands interests. The company’s renewable-energy history developed most visibly through offshore wind. In 2009, Statoil tested Hywind, an early deep-water floating wind turbine off Norway. This technology led to the Hywind Scotland project, commissioned in 2017 as a 30-megawatt floating wind farm. Statoil also expanded into offshore-wind development in continental Europe and the United States. The 2018 change to Equinor formalized the company’s attempt to present itself as a broad energy business while retaining oil and gas as its economic foundation. Equinor’s transition strategy has remained contested. Supporters point to its offshore-wind engineering, carbon storage and other lower-carbon investments; critics argue that the company’s continuing hydrocarbon production and associated emissions are inconsistent with rapid climate goals. In the 2020s the group continued to balance petroleum investment, energy security, renewable development, carbon management and shareholder returns. Its identity remains shaped by Norwegian state ownership, continental-shelf expertise and an international portfolio that increasingly includes offshore wind and carbon capture and storage.

2025
Northern Lights begins operations
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
The Northern Lights carbon-storage facility begins injecting transported carbon dioxide into a deep subsurface reservoir beneath the North Sea.
2018
Statoil becomes Equinor
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
The annual general meeting approves the company’s rebranding from Statoil to Equinor.
2018
Corporate name changed to Equinor
[5]Equinor announces name change from Statoilequinor.com
Statoil ASA adopted the Equinor name, ending the Statoil corporate brand.
2017
Hywind Scotland is commissioned
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
The company commissions a 30-megawatt floating offshore-wind farm off Scotland.
2016
Circle K rebranding begins
[7]Circle K company historycirclek.com
The acquired European stations began transitioning from the Statoil identity to Circle K.
2012
European fuel-retail network sold
[6]Alimentation Couche-Tard to acquire Statoil's retail networkcouche-tard.com
Alimentation Couche-Tard acquired Statoil's Scandinavian and Baltic service-station business.
2009
Hywind prototype is deployed
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
Statoil launches the world’s first operational deep-water floating large-capacity wind turbine prototype off Norway.
2007
Statoil and Hydro petroleum operations merge
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
Statoil combines with Norsk Hydro’s oil and gas division, creating StatoilHydro.
2007
Merger with Norsk Hydro's oil and gas activities
[4]Equinor historyequinor.com
Statoil merged with Norsk Hydro's petroleum operations, creating a larger integrated energy company.
2001
Statoil is listed
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
Statoil becomes a public limited company and lists shares in Oslo and New York while the government retains control.
2001
Partial privatization and stock-market listing
[4]Equinor historyequinor.com
Statoil was partly privatized and became a publicly listed company while the Norwegian state retained majority ownership.
1999
Hydro acquires Saga Petroleum
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
Norsk Hydro acquires Norway’s third-largest petroleum company, adding upstream assets later inherited through the Statoil-Hydro combination.
1987
Mongstad crisis
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
Problems surrounding the Mongstad development produce a major corporate and political scandal.
1981
Statoil becomes operator on the continental shelf
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
Statoil acquires operator rights on the Gullfaks field, becoming the first Norwegian company to do so on the Norwegian continental shelf.
1974
Statoil enters offshore petroleum development
[4]Equinor historyequinor.com
The company became an important participant in the development of Norway's continental-shelf petroleum resources.
1972
Statoil is established
[1]Equinoren.wikipedia.org
The Norwegian Parliament establishes Den Norske Stats Oljeselskap to secure national participation and competence in offshore petroleum.
1972
Norwegian state establishes Statoil
[4]Equinor historyequinor.com
Den norske stats oljeselskap AS was established as Norway's national oil company.

Products and positioning

A Norwegian state-backed international energy company combining petroleum production with offshore wind and other lower-carbon energy businesses. A Norwegian state-founded, integrated petroleum and energy company whose consumer visibility came principally from its Scandinavian and Baltic fuel-station network. In its later years the corporate brand positioned itself as a broad energy company preparing to expand beyond traditional oil and gas.

Petroleum · 1972
Crude oil
Equinor explores for, develops and produces crude oil, with its historic production base on the Norwegian continental shelf and additional interests in international offshore and onshore assets.
Natural gas · 1972
Petroleum and natural gas
Natural gas is a core Equinor business. The company produces, processes, transports and sells gas from Norway and other producing regions to customers in European and international markets. Statoil's core business was the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas, with a strong emphasis on offshore operations on the Norwegian continental shelf. The company also developed international upstream projects and marketed natural gas and petroleum products.
Renewable energy · 2009
Offshore wind
Equinor develops fixed-bottom and floating offshore-wind projects. Its Hywind technology is designed for deep-water sites where conventional fixed foundations are less suitable, and the company has pursued projects in the North Sea, the United States and elsewhere.
Carbon capture and storage · 2025
Northern Lights
Northern Lights is a carbon transport and storage system developed with partners. Captured carbon dioxide can be transported and permanently stored in a geological formation beneath the North Sea.
Oil field · 2019
Johan Sverdrup
Johan Sverdrup is one of the largest oil developments on the Norwegian continental shelf and a flagship Equinor-operated production asset. It is important to the company’s Norwegian upstream portfolio and to national petroleum output.
Fuel retail
Statoil service stations
The most visible consumer expression of the Statoil brand was its network of filling stations, especially in Norway and the Nordic and Baltic regions. Stations sold petrol, diesel, lubricants, and vehicle-related products, often alongside convenience stores, food, car-wash facilities, and fleet services. The network was sold to Alimentation Couche-Tard in 2012 and progressively converted to Circle K from 2016.
Downstream energy
Refining, trading, and petroleum products
The company participated in refining, crude-oil and refined-product trading, petroleum logistics, and the marketing of fuels and lubricants. These activities supported both its wholesale energy business and its branded retail network.
Renewable energy
Offshore wind and renewable energy
In its later Statoil period, the company expanded into renewable energy, particularly offshore wind. These investments formed part of a broader diversification strategy that was later emphasized through the Equinor name and corporate identity.

Controversies

2026
Equinor warns it may stop investing in the UK if Rosebank and Jackdaw fields are not approved
Equinor warned that it may shun further investments in the UK if the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields are not granted final approval. Chief executive Anders Opedal said the company would "have to take a hard view" about future UK investment if a decision was made to reject new drilling. The warning came as the UK government is set to decide on final approval for the fields, whose earlier consents were delayed by a Scottish court ruling after environmental groups argued consent was given without fully considering the climate impact.
Source
2011
Consulting-contract investigation
A Statoil consultant and others were tried in Norway in a case concerning alleged improper benefits and contracts.
Source
2003
Statoil-Horton corruption case
Statoil’s engagement of an Iranian consultancy connected to efforts to obtain contracts led to corruption investigations and later U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act penalties.
Source
1987
Mongstad scandal
Cost and project problems at Mongstad triggered intense political scrutiny and the resignation of Statoil chief executive Arve Johnsen.
Source
Climate-emissions criticism
Environmental groups and climate researchers have criticized the company’s cumulative greenhouse-gas contribution and its continued investment in oil and gas while presenting itself as an energy-transition company.
Source

2018Equinor rebrand
Global
The company introduced the Equinor identity to communicate a wider energy portfolio and a Norwegian, balanced-energy positioning beyond the Statoil name. The Statoil brand was replaced by Equinor.
Outcome. The Statoil brand was replaced by Equinor.
Source

Brand decisions

2018
Adopt the Equinor nameStrategy
Background
Management sought an identity that could encompass petroleum, offshore wind and other energy businesses.
Action taken
The annual general meeting approved replacing Statoil with Equinor.
Aftermath
Equinor became the group’s global corporate brand, although oil and gas remained its principal business.
Source
2018
Corporate rebrand to EquinorStrategy
Background
Statoil sought to present itself as a broader energy company as it expanded renewable-energy activity and responded to the long-term transition in the energy sector.
Action taken
Statoil ASA changed its legal and corporate name to Equinor ASA and adopted a new identity.
Aftermath
The Statoil corporate brand was retired, while the company's oil, gas, renewable-energy, and related activities continued under Equinor.
Source
2012
Sale of the Scandinavian and Baltic fuel-retail businessM&A
Background
Statoil separated its consumer fuel-station operations from its integrated energy business as part of a portfolio and strategic review.
Action taken
The company agreed to sell the retail network to Alimentation Couche-Tard, with the stations temporarily retaining the Statoil name under licensing arrangements.
Aftermath
The buyer integrated the network and progressively replaced the Statoil identity with Circle K, ending Statoil's presence as a major European service-station brand.
Source
2010
Separate the fuel-retail businessStrategy
Background
The group reorganized its downstream activities to separate fuel stations and retail operations from the main energy company.
Action taken
Statoil Fuel & Retail was separated as a separately listed company and later sold to Alimentation Couche-Tard.
Aftermath
Equinor became more concentrated on upstream energy, marketing and selected new-energy activities.
Source
2009
Deploy Hywind floating wind prototypeProduct launch
Background
Equinor’s predecessor sought to apply offshore petroleum engineering expertise to deep-water renewable generation.
Action taken
Statoil installed and tested a 2.3-megawatt floating wind turbine off Norway.
Aftermath
The prototype supported later development of the Hywind Scotland floating-wind project.
Source
2007
Combine Statoil with Norsk Hydro’s petroleum divisionM&A
Background
The merger was intended to create a larger and more competitive Norwegian international energy company with greater capacity for investment and acquisitions.
Action taken
Statoil and Hydro’s oil and gas businesses were combined, initially under the StatoilHydro name.
Aftermath
The company later returned to the Statoil name and eventually rebranded as Equinor.
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
DNV acquires Equinor's WellSpot digital solution[9]DNV收购Equinor的WellSpot数字解决方案euro-petrole.com
DNV has agreed to acquire WellSpot, a digital wellhead fatigue management solution developed and operated by Equinor over the past 15 years. The software, renamed Wellhead Fatigue Manager, will be commercialized and operated by DNV, with Equinor and AkerBP as first users.
2026-10-07
Equinor warns it may stop investing in the UK if Rosebank and Jackdaw fields are not approved[8]Equinor warns it may stop investing in the UK if Rosebank and Jackdaw fields are not approvedbbc.co.uk
Reported: 2026-10-06
Equinor warned that it may shun further investments in the UK if the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields are not granted final approval, with chief executive Anders Opedal saying the company would 'have to take a hard view' about future UK investment if a decision was made to reject new drilling. The warning came as the UK government is set to decide on final approval for the fields, whose earlier consents were delayed by a Scottish court ruling after environmental groups argued consent was given without fully considering the climate impact.
2026-08-24
DNV acquires Equinor's WellSpot subsea wellhead monitoring technology[10]DNV收购Equinor的WellSpot海底井口监测技术worldoil.com
DNV has agreed to acquire Equinor's WellSpot digital technology and will commercialize the platform as Wellhead Fatigue Manager, expanding its capabilities for monitoring and managing fatigue across the lifecycle of subsea wells. Equinor and Aker BP will be the first users of the DNV-operated platform. Financial terms were not disclosed.
2021-12-06
Equinor to acquire a stake in Noriker Power[11]Equinor将收购Noriker Power股份energyglobal.com
Reported: 2021-12-06
Equinor agreed to buy shares in Noriker Power currently held by Gresham House and Gresham House Energy Storage Fund, which together own 15% of Noriker. The article says the purchase would take place as part of the agreement.
Unconfirmed
Equinor and Noriker agree strategic cooperation[11]Equinor将收购Noriker Power股份energyglobal.com
Reported: 2021-12-06
Equinor and Noriker agreed on strategic cooperation that would give Equinor the opportunity to participate directly in projects being developed by Noriker.
Unconfirmed
PDVSA subsidiary assumes full ownership of Petrocedeño[12]PDVSA子公司取得Petrocedeño全部权益riotimesonline.com
Reported: 2021-07-29
Corporación Venezolana de Petróleo, a subsidiary of PDVSA, assumed 100% participation in Petrocedeño after purchasing shares from TotalEnergies and Equinor. The article does not provide the date the transaction was completed.
2021-06-10
Equinor agrees to sell its Danish refining business[13]Equinor同意出售其丹麦炼油业务rigzone.com
Reported: 2021-06-11
Equinor announced that it had entered into an agreement with the Klesch Group to sell its refining business in Denmark, including Equinor Refining Denmark A/S and associated assets. Completion is subject to approval by Danish authorities.
2020-12-16
Equinor announces Ulrica Fearn's appointment as CFO[14]Equinor宣布任命Ulrica Fearn为首席财务官finanznachrichten.de
Reported: 2020-12-16
Equinor announced that Ulrica Fearn would become chief financial officer and executive vice president effective 16 June 2021, succeeding acting CFO Svein Skeie, who would take another senior vice president role on the same date.
2020-11-18
Panasonic, Equinor and Hydro partner to explore a European battery business[15]松下、Equinor与Hydro合作探索欧洲电池业务channelstv.com
Reported: 2020-11-18
Panasonic signed a partnership with Equinor and Hydro to assess the European lithium-ion battery market and the business case for a green battery business in Norway, including potential use in electric cars.
2020-11-02
Equinor appoints Anders Opedal as CEO[16]Equinor任命安德斯·奥佩达尔为首席执行官hydrocarbonprocessing.com
Equinor appointed Anders Opedal as its new chief executive, replacing Eldar Saetre; the appointment is effective November 2, 2020.

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