Atle Staalesen

Murmansk raises the alarm about its shrinking workforce

Over the last five years the region’s economically active population has shrunk by more than 10 percent.
September 25, 2018

Well drilling confirms major oil discovery in Barents Sea

The appraisal well drilled by company Lundin at the Alta structure is an important step towards another major field development in the northern Norwegian waters.
September 25, 2018

Who is ready to invest €5.1 billion in new Novaya Zemlya seaport?

As the Russian treasury is running out of money, government appeals to the country’s biggest industrial companies for funding to new projects.
September 24, 2018

First LNG-fueled bulk carriers to cross Northern Sea Route

The two brand new 160-meter long vessels that are making it through the Russian Arctic shipping route produce less than half of normal vessels’ carbon dioxide emissions.
September 21, 2018

Gazprom tests the ice in its northernmost license area

The Heiss area is located along the coasts of the Franz Josef Land and could hold up to 140 million tons of oil and 2 trillion cubic meters of gas. Now, Gazprom is training on how to remove icebergs from the harsh Arctic waters.
September 20, 2018

Northern Fleet vessels hunt enemy submarines in Bering Strait

As they sailed thought the shallow waters separating Russia and the U.S.A, the ships lined up in battle formation and engaged in anti-submarine training.
September 20, 2018

Former defense chief sees a serious Russian threat against Norway’s Finnmark region

In case of a bigger conflict, it is quite likely that Russian armed forces would initiate a ground operation against the neighboring Norwegian region, Lieutenant General Kjell Grandhagen argues.
September 19, 2018

Novatek: we team up with Tschudi Shipping over reloading of LNG in Norwegian waters

According to the Russian natural gas producer, the Norwegian shipping and logistics company will handle millions of tons of LNG from Yamal.
September 19, 2018

Arkhangelsk eyes hundreds of millions of investments as city is turned into top venue for Arctic talks

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev mulls big money for upgrades of the local airport and university ahead of next year’s Arctic Forum.
September 18, 2018

This is the mythic land of Hyperborea, says Murmansk governor

The perfect land of the north first referred to by Greek historian Herodotus finds a home in the Kola Peninsula.
September 17, 2018

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Atle is journalist and Publisher of the Independent Barents Observer.

In 2002, he founded the Barents Observer. He was editor until 2009 and later worked as journalist and project coordinator for several European cross-border cooperation projects. In late 2015, following a conflict over editorial rights, he re-established the Barents Observer as an independent and non-profit stock company along with the rest of the newspaper crew.  

Atle has a degree in Russian studies from the University of Oslo and studied journalism at the Moscow State University.

atle@thebarentsobserver.com
@atlestaalesen