UK, Norway To Agree Closer Collaboration On Energy Sector

By Nicholas Winning

LONDON--The prime ministers of the U.K. and Norway will announce an agreement Thursday to strengthen the energy links between their two countries, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday ahead of a visit to Oslo.

The new U.K.-Norway Energy Partnership, "will mean more collaboration on affordable long-term gas supply, more reciprocal investment in oil, gas and renewable energies and more commercial deals creating thousands of new jobs and adding billions to our economies," he said in a statement.

Mr. Cameron is due to meet senior executives from 10 leading energy companies in Oslo early Thursday, and several of them will set out investment plans which together will create more than 1,600 new jobs in the U.K., the statement said.

Among the firms taking part in the meeting will be Norwegian rig firm Fred. Olsen Energy ASA (FOE.OS), pipeline operator Gassco, National Grid PLC (NG.LN), Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA.LN), Statoil ASA (STO), and Centrica PLC (CNA.LN).

"I hope that my visit to Oslo will help secure affordable energy supplies for decades to come and enhance investment between our two countries," Mr. Cameron said.

Norway supplies more than a quarter of the U.K.'s energy demand, and British firms have invested more then GBP13 billion in Norwegian oil and gas in the past five years, the statement said.

Mr. Cameron was due to have a working dinner with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg shortly after arriving in Oslo Wednesday in what marks the first visit by a U.K. prime minister in 26 years. Both leaders are due to travel to Berlin Thursday to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Write to Nicholas Winning at nick.winning@dowjones.com