From Silos to Synergy: How Norwegian Oil & Gas Operators Built a Shared Data Ecosystem

Geir Jåsund, CEO at Mikon AS

Introduction 

In an era where operational efficiency, environmental compliance, and digital transformation dominate the agenda, the Norwegian oil & gas industry offers a rare success story in cross-operator data sharing. Rather than pursuing fragmented, operator-specific solutions, companies on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) have collaborated, under the guidance of Offshore Norge, to establish shared digital infrastructure for reporting, documentation, and data exchange. 

At the heart of this cooperation lies Collabor8, a multi-module platform enabling seamless communication among all the stakeholders. One standout example is Vår Energi, which has automated internal and regulatory reporting from over 50 fields through Collabor8.

This article explores the technical, organizational, and regulatory architecture of this model and its implications for operators worldwide.

Historical Context: Why Norway Chose Cooperation Over Competition 

The groundwork for cross-industry cooperation in Norway dates back to the mid-1990s with the establishment of Diskos, a national data repository maintained by the Norwegian Offshore Directorate (formerly NPD). Driven by the need to manage seismic and production data more efficiently, the Diskos model emphasized neutrality, standardization, and accessibility.

As operations grew in complexity and environmental regulation intensified, the need for standardized communication between operators and regulators became urgent. Offshore Norge, an organization for companies with activities related with the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), became the hub for facilitating collective solutions.

The result is a national model built not on competitive advantage in data secrecy, but on operational excellence through transparency and shared systems.

Collabor8 emerged as a platform designed to fulfill multiple cooperative needs. Today, it encompasses five major modules: 

• Authority Communication for secure messaging and document exchange with regulators. 

• EqHub for standardized storage and access for equipment documentation. 

• Footprint for environmental reporting across operators. 

• L2S (License to Share): A governance and technical framework facilitating secure and standardized sharing of documents and data across licensees and partners.

• SPIR which is a supply chain standardization and digital parts library.

• Subsurface for sharing and collaborating on subsurface, production and drilling data

Each module operates under collectively developed governance rules. Collabor8 is financed by a cost-sharing model based on operators’ license portfolios, with decision-making overseen by user reference groups.

Access is federated using Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access management solution in Azure, allowing over 10,000 offshore workers to use a single login across multiple companies and modules.

Governance, Standards & Trust 

Trust underpins the Norwegian model. Each module in Collabor8 is governed by a multi-operator reference group that defines access rights, change protocols, and future development priorities. Operators retain data ownership but agree to shared metadata schemas and technical formats.

Documents such as the “Collabor8 Footprint Special Terms” outline non-deletion policies, dispute resolution, and system obligations, ensuring both technical integrity and legal clarity.

Offshore Norge acts as facilitator and neutral party, ensuring that shared systems evolve with operator input but without favoring any single participant.

The L2S (License to Share) framework exemplifies this trust-driven model. It enables structured information flow between operators and licensees through controlled access rights, metadata tags, and standard processes ensuring that all parties in a license can collaborate efficiently while respecting data governance boundaries.

Comparative Advantage: How Norway Stands Apart 

Globally, few jurisdictions exhibit the same level of integration. In the U.S. shale sector, operator-led digitization remains fragmented, while in the UK, data sharing is often limited to post-fact reporting.

Norway’s differentiators include:  

• Central facilitation by a trusted industry body (Offshore Norge). 

• Regulatory alignment via the Offshore Directorate and national platforms like Diskos National Data Repository.

• Operator willingness to align on technical standards and costs. 

• Cultural norms favoring consensus and transparency

These factors have created a high-functioning, vendor-neutral, operator-led data ecosystem.

Challenges & Lessons Learned 

No collaboration model is frictionless. Norwegian operators have had to 

• harmonize data semantics across legacy systems

• negotiate access levels and data sensitivity

• and balance standardization with operational flexibility

However, the phased rollout of modules like EqHub and Footprint allowed for learning cycles and trust-building. Governance transparency and cost neutrality were critical to sustained engagement.

Future Outlook: Real-Time, AI & Cross-Border Expansion 

With regulatory demands increasing and digital twins gaining traction, Norway’s model is well positioned to evolve. Potential future steps include: 

• Real-time data exchange for emissions and production monitoring

• AI-enhanced anomaly detection embedded in Collabor8 workflows

• Cross-border coordination with EU platforms

Collabor8’s modular design and governance foundation make it adaptable to new technologies and regulatory regimes.

Conclusion Norway’s approach to operator cooperation in data sharing presents a benchmark for the global oil & gas sector. By building trust-based, technically robust platforms like Collabor8 and fostering collective governance under Offshore Norge, the industry has achieved both compliance and efficiency gains.

The case of Vår Energi shows that with the right infrastructure and intent, both operators and partners can automate complex tasks across dozens of assets, turning data from a burden into a shared strategic asset.

As the industry globally seeks to improve transparency, ESG performance, and digital maturity, the Norwegian model offers a path worth studying and emulating.