Oil firms ask for drill deal

OSLO: Oil firms in Norway asked the incoming ruling parties yesterday to repeal a recent tax hike and open the sensitive Arctic Lofoten archipelago to exploration.

Drilling here is becoming one of the top issues in coalition talks among the four election-winning parties, and a new government is expected to uphold a drilling ban.

The Conservatives, Progress, the Liberals and the Christian Democrats began talks yesterday, and a deal is not expected for weeks.