StatoilHydro’s Snoehvit tanker used to transport liquefied natural gas from the plant to customers. Photo credit: NINA LARSON/AFP/Getty Images

An oil company CEO endorsing a global carbon tax?

Forbes energy reporter Christopher Helman says he’s never heard the head of an American oil giant do it, although many – including ExxonMobil – factor a carbon price into their long-term planning. So he was surprised this week when recently installed Statoil CEO Eldar Saetre offered up just such an endorsement in an interview. Apparently, Saetre thinks there’s a connection between cutting costs and becoming carbon-efficient.

The industry is coming under increasing pressure on carbon. It’s extremely important that the industry recognize the issue at hand — the global issue — and not get too defensive. We need to ask what can we do as an industry to change the mindset on this and to find solutions. And what can we as an oil and gas company do in terms of operations and emissions and energy efficiency? Basically we are supporting what the U.N. is trying to do. A cost on carbon is something we need to get in place globally. These issues go together: low carbon and low cost. Low costs support carbon efficiency. – Statoil CEO Eldar Saetre, in an interview with Forbes