Speakers

Opening session

Fionn Iversen

Chief Scientist, CGER/NORCE


Fionn Iversen is chief scientist in NORCE Energy, performing research in the areas of geothermal energy and energy systems, hydrogen value chain, flow modelling and drilling. As chief scientist Iversen is responsible for project development and management, and for ensuring quality in research. Iversen is a doctor of materials technology, within process modelling, and holds an M.Sc. in hydrodynamics and experimental physics.

Anders Nermoen

Senior Researcher, CGER/NORCE


Anders Nermoen holds a PhD in Physics, but has for long worked with geology and reservoir related problems. The focus on multi-phase porous flow, geomechanics, enhanced oil recovery, since the signing of the Paris Agreement, has been replaced with CO2 storage, geothermal energy and energy systems. Anders pledges to the net zero society and a fair green energy shift.

Session 1
Surface use and energy system integration

Randi K. Ramstad

Consultant, Asplan Viak / Associate Professor II, NTNU

Ramstad has been in media as the spokesperson for several of the most talked-about pilot projects within ground source heat pump and high temperature seasonal thermal energy storage (GeoTermos) in Norway. She is a specialist in the field and has 24 years of experience in consulting and developing ground source heat pump solutions in conjunction with other renewable energy sources. She has worked with all types of ground source heat pump systems and has led and participated in several research projects related to ground source heat pumps both in Norway and internationally.

Karl Seyberth

Reservoir Engineer and Project Manager, Erdwerk GmbH

Karl Seyberth has been at Erdwerk since 2018.
He has played a central role in several deep geothermal projects in the greater Munich region, Belgium and Switzerland as project manager as well as reservoir engineer specialised in hydraulic testing.
Karl holds an MSc in Applied Geosciences from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).


Thor Erik Musæus

CEO, Geothermal Energy Nordic GTML


Thor Erik Musaeus has broad entrepreneurial experience from the geothermal industry. Through start-ups for commercial roll-out of energy solutions based on deeper energy wells he has drawn attention towards the potential and important role geothermal heating solutions will have in the ongoing energy crisis.

He led the team who established the first successful deep energy wells in the Nordics at Oslo Airport.

He was at board member in European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) in Brussels from 2010 -2019.

Thor Erik holds a MSc in geology from NTH (NTNU) and an MBA from EM Lyon in France.

Robbert van de Ven

Hydrogeologist, SWECO

Robbert van de Ven is a hydrogeologist from the Netherlands with experience in the shallow geoenergy industry in the Netherlands and Norway. He has been involved in various groundwater and borehole heat exchanger design projects within both countries. Subsurface design of groundwater and borehole heat exchanger systems is his main responsibility within Sweco Norway.

Kirsti Midttømme

Chief Scientist, NORCE

Session Moderator

Jeg er bygningsingeniør fra NTNU med dr.grad innen termisk modellering og har jobbet i NORCE siden 2011.

Hovedfokus har vært geotermisk energi, bergvarme, termisk energilagring og integrerte energisystemer. De siste årene har jeg også vært prosjektleder for prosjekter innen CO2 lagring. Jeg har også erfaring med permafrostkartlegging, fiberoptisk måleteknologi (DxS), risiko for overoppheting av sjøkabler samt bassengmodellering.

Jeg har fått lov å være med på utviklingen av geotermisk energi i Norge, fra og vært involvert i design av flere av de største brønnparkene som eks ved Ahus og Sørlandssenteret på 2000 tallet til oppfølging av de nye innovative og integrerte energisystemene som er blitt etablert det siste tiåret. Jeg har jobbet med utredning av geotermisk fjernvarme både på fastlandet og Svalbard. Internasjonalt har jeg vært involvert i geotermiske prosjekter i blant annet Polen, India, Indonesia, Sverige og Hellas.

Session 2
Drilling and Well operations -
 meeting the geothermal challenges

Roman Shor

Associate Professor, University of Calgary

¨Roman Shor is an Associate Professor and Energi Simulation Industrial Research Chair in Geothermal Systems at the University of Calgary. His leads the geothermal research centre and focuses on modelling, optimization, and control of deep drilling for geothermal systems, particularly in hot, dry rock. He is interested in energy systems, the interplay of renewable and traditional energy sources, systems thinking, and sustainability.

Rodrigue Freifer

Project Manager, TU Clausthal - Drilling Simulator Celle

Rodrigue Freifer is a Project Manager / Researcher at the Drilling Simulator Celle with main focus on drilling dynamics and efficiency. He has a background in Mechanical and Petroleum Engineering. Along side initiating and managing research projects at TU Clausthal, he is is striving to finalize his PhD in 2023.

Alberto Amuzzoni

Research and Development Manager, Drillmec

Alberto graduated from Polytechnic University of Milan with honours  Mechanical Engineer with MSc in Machines and Integrated Production Systems. He
 joined Drillmec in 2013 as R&D  Engineer. He held multiple positions within the R&D group, from design engineer  to project engineering and operations manager of field applications related to innovative technologies. Alberto currently covers the position of Research and Development Manager aiming to introduce new technologies and solutions in the company product portfolio.

Atle Nottveit

Director of New Energy, Nordic Countries, SLB

Atle Jaer Nottveit has 26 years' experience from SLB, holding many different positions both technical and in management, including 9 years as manager for all SLB activity in Scandinavia. Last year he took over the position as Director of New Energy in the Nordics, focusing on CCS, Hydrogen, Energy Storage, Minerals and Geothermal.

Rodica Mihai

Senior Researcher, NORCE

Rodica Mihai is a senior researcher at NORCE Energy, currently leading Drilling automation and autonomy in the NORCE-led Center for Research Based Innovation SFI DigiWells. She has a PhD from University of Bergen, on Algorithmic Graph Theory. Her research focus during the last years was on drilling automation and autonomy, with an emphasize on algorithmic decision-making, verification and validation of AI systems in high risk environments, efficient mathematical models. She holds a part-time position as Associate Professor at University of Bergen, department of Informatics in the Machine learning group.

Per Simensen

Senior Project Manager, NORCE

Per Simensen is Senior Project Manager at NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS and Ullrigg Test Centre. Per has over 15 years of experience executing full-scale testing at the test rig Ullrigg and the belonging Test Centre. Per holds a Bachelor in Petroleum Technology from the University of Stavanger.

Christian von der Ohe

RD&I Manager, GCE NODE

Session Moderator

Christian B. von der Ohe is RD&I Manager at GCE NODE. He has more than 25 years of work experience from both large and small companies ranging from global world leading companies as to being entrepreneur, mainly within the O&G drilling equipment/supplier industry. He is a highly qualified researcher and innovator assisting GCE NODE companies to do more R&D and increase innovation efforts towards the green transition.
Christian holds a BSc in Mechanical engineering, MSc in Metallurgy and a PhD in Materials and Mechanical Integrity (Tribo-corrosion) from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
His roles and tasks have been varied, involved in management, business & product development, innovation processes and technical advisory/consultancy work.

Session 3
Politics, pricing mechanisms
and regulatory framework

Andreas Bjelland Eriksen

State Secretary
Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy


Andreas Bjelland Eriksen is State Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and a member of the Labour Party (Ap). He is currently on leave from the position as State secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister (2021-2022).

His professional experience includes working as a research assistant at The Center for Applied Research at the Norwegian School of Economics, Higher Executive Officer and Adviser to The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate under the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (2017-2020) and Political Adviser for The Labour Party's parliamentary group (2020-2021).

Eriksen holds a MSc in Economics from the Norwegian School of Economics. His political background includes leading the Worker's Youth League (2010-2012) in Rogaland and as an elected representative to Rogaland County council (2011-2019).

Arnfinn Nilsen

Advisor, Green Warriors of Norway

My daily job is with various environmental issues and topics where my main focus is on energy politics, sustainable solutions and the environment. A software engineer by education, and a long and varied background from various professions, both as an entrepreneur and as an employee. Nature, biology, technology, science, and the environment has always been at the core of my interests and focus. My last 4 yrs has been with my current position.

Solveig Emilie Espedal Sudsdal

Senior Associate, Nysnø

Solveig Espedal Sundsdal started in Nysnø as Senior Associate in 2022. She came from a position as a technical professional in Halliburton. Sundsdal has a background from the oil and gas industry with a special focus on well completion solutions. As part of the technical team at Halliburton, Solveig was responsible for customer follow-up, technical calculations, and planning and execution of well operations. Prior to this, she worked as Manager for Kokko, a niche coffee-shop, responsible for the operational activity. Solveig is a civil engineer and holds a Master's degree in petroleum technology from University of Stavanger, and a Bachelor's degree in petroleum and process technology from the University of Bergen. In Nysnø, Solveig works to build bridges between our fund investments and direct investments to maximize value from our portfolio. She supports the investment team with relevant analysis and have a special responsibility to build and nurture Nysnø partnerships.

Emil Martini

Policy Associate
European Geothermal Energy Council EGEC

He holds a LLM in EU law from the College of Europe and a master's degree in law from the University of Trento. In the past few years, his experience as Brussels-based consultant in EU law and policy has led him to focus his lobbying activities on topics such as the Green Deal Initiative and the Fit for 55 Package. Moreover, he has worked in several EU-funded projects, mostly under the Horizon 2020 and LIFE programmes, dealing with energy transition, decarbonisation policies and buildings renovation. He joined EGEC in 2022 and, among others, he is now in charge of the monitoring and promotion to EGEC members of the EU funding opportunities on renewable energies. On this topic, he wrote an EGEC guide called "EU funding opportunities for geothermal projects", launched in February 2023.

Karl-Erik Frederiksen

Country Manager, Rototec

Karl-Erik Fredriksen is the Country Manager of Rototec Group´s Norwegian branch, Rototec AS. He has a solid background in sales/technical sales from the renewable energy sector, as well as the oil and gas industry. With his knowledge of the differences and similarities of the O/G sector versus todays geothermal industry, he is ready to take on the challenge to contribute to a prosperous future for the geoenergy industry in Norway. With a broad network and experience with decision makers increasingly caring of CO2-footprint as well as profitability, he also know what it takes.

Karl-Erik´s formal background is a bachelor´s honors degree in electrical engineer from Abertay University in Scotland. He possesses a pair of engineering eyes in addition to heavy sales experience and an entrepreneurial mindset which is the key to creating growth in this industry with such great potential.

Lasse Isaksen

Head of Heating and Cooling Business Unit, Rototec

Lasse F. Isaksen is heading the business unit of Rototec Group which is carrying out indoor planning and dimensioning for heating and cooling systems, mostly related to geoenergy systems and ground source heat pump installations. With offices in Norway, Sweden and Finland Lasse and his team are able to display to the market the possibilities geoenergy has by designing fit for purpose systems. In addition, they are also being a trusted partner for the operations showing the way how to utilize the system to the maximum.

Lasse holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering and product development from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and has been in the geoenergy business since 2015. With a track record from shallow geoenergy operations, design and planning he is well aware of both the practical aspects of drilling in the Nordics, how the framework conditions affects the market situations and how the industry develops.

Roar Nybø

Senior Business Developer, SINTEF

Session Moderator

In SINTEF's Bergen office, Roar develops projects spanning from geothermal to oil and gas, with a focus on technology transfer from the Norwegian petroleum industry.

Inga Berre

Professor, Dept. of Mathematics, UiB

Panel discussion moderator

Inga Berre is professor at the Department of Mathematics and director of the Center for Modeling of Coupled Subsurface Dynamics (CSD) at the University of Bergen. Her main research interests are mathematical modelling, partial differential equations and numerical methods, motivated by simulation of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical processes in geothermal systems and fault reactivation induced by subsurface injection and production. She is the principal investigator of the ERC Consolidator Grant: "Mathematical and Numerical Modelling of Process-Structure Interaction in Fractured Geothermal Systems" (MaPSI, 2021-2026).

Inga Berre has served in multiple elected leadership positions, including the SIAM Council (member, 2022-2024), SIAM GS activity group (chair 2021-2022), SET-Plan Deep Geothermal Implementation Working Group (co-chair, 2019-2021), and the Joint Program Geothermal, European Energy Research Alliance (chair, 2018-2021). She is member of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences (2017-). She is Associate Editor of Geothermal Energy, Springer (2020-).

Session 4
Subsurface exploration,
stimulation, and operation

Kerstin Müller

Vice President Business Development, Fishbones

Kerstin is a geoscientist by background with 15 years international experience in the oil & gas industry and 7 years in research. She has held senior exploration, production, and business development roles with Wintershall Dea before becoming Project Lead for Geothermal Energy in the city of Hamburg. Kerstin holds PhD and Executive MBA degrees

Sturla Sæther

Chief Engineer, Equinor

Sturla Sæther has been working with energy the whole life. I have experience from geothermal systems, combined cycle applications and energy efficient processes in general. In addition to be a researcher I have also a lot of experience from project and implementation of energy efficient systems in projects both offshore and onshore. I am especially interested in the future energy transition and the emerging of the most effective and costly solutions.

Øystein Klemetsdal

Research Scientist, SINTEF

Øystein Klemetsdal works as a research scientist in the computational geosciences group at SINTEF Digital, and his research is in the interface between mathematics, computer science, and geoscience. Most of his work centers around development of numerical algorithms for geoenergy applications, focusing on efficient linear and nonlinear solution strategies, discretizations, and grid generation. He is a core developer of the MATLAB Reservoir Simulation Toolbox (MRST), and the main developer of its geothermal module.
Øystein holds an MSc in industrial mathematics and a PhD in applied mathematics from the department of mathematical sciences at the Norwegian University of Technology and Science (NTNU) and has spent time as a visiting student researcher at the institute of Energy Science & Engineering at Stanford University.

Sissel Opsahl Viig

Senior Scientist, Institute for Energy Technology IFE

Sissel Opsahl Viig is currently working as a Senior Research Scientist at IFE in the Department for Tracer Technology. She has more than 15 years of experience in tracer technology and development of tracer methods for reservoir characterization/evaluation for the petroleum industry. In recent years she has worked in several RCN and EU funded projects related to geothermal energy, such as IMAGE, GEMex, GECO and REFLECT. Sissel holds a Master in Nuclear Chemistry from University of Oslo.

Mario Silva

Research Scientist, Institute for Energy Technology IFE

Mario Silva is a Research Scientist at the Tracer department of the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE). He is working on the use of chemistry and chemical technology to enable more sustainable energy production and storage processes. He has about 8 years of experience with the development of tracer technology for the characterisation of fluid saturation, distribution and circulation in geological settings. Before this, Mario Silva worked with analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, process chemistry, and catalysis, both in other research institutions and in services and consultancy companies. He is presently the technical coordinator of the geothermal HOCLOOP project, a RIA financed by the Horizon Europe program.
Mario Silva holds a Ph.D. in petroleum technology from the university of Stavanger, and a bachelor's and a master's degree in chemical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Porto in Portugal.

Eivind Bastesen

Structural Geologist, Ruden

Research focus on structural geology, renewable energy and environmental studies. How to best characterize outcrops and exploit energy from subsurface. My research focus has recently been into developing novel methodology in how to measure permeability and characterize the structural permeability of fractures and faults. This research is of high importance to increase productivity of geothermal, hydrocarbon and CO2 reservoirs. Plastic pollution has become a national and global problem with severe consequences for the aquatic and coastal ecosystems. Focus areas, are the long term accumulation, the change of coastal landscape and the generation of microplastic due to accumulation of plastic litter in coastal areas.

Fields of expertise: Virtual outcrop geology, environmental mapping, reservoir geology, geothermal energy

Anaëlle Guillevic

PhD student, UiS

Anaëlle is a PhD candidate at the Department of Energy Resources of the University of Stavanger. Anaëlle holds a Master's degree in Geosciences from University Paris-Saclay, France. Her Master's thesis, carried out at NORCE in Stavanger, is titled "Repurposing existing, depleted oil and gas wells for geothermal energy extraction on the Norwegian Continental Shelf". The PhD project focuses on the evaluation of the regional geothermal energy potential of the Norwegian North Sea, through thermal modelling, reservoir characterization and simulation. The project is intended to develop knowledge on how to sustainably develop the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

Marius Nevland

PhD student, UiB

Marius is a PhD student at the department of Mathematics within the Center for Modeling of Coupled Subsurface Dynamics. Marius studied at the University of Bergen and completed a bachelor's degree in physics, and a master's degree in applied mathematics. The master thesis was titled "Nonlocal Models for Undular Bores". The PhD project involves the technical development of PorePy, the open-source simulation software developed by the porous media group at UiB. More specifically, the project involves the development of efficient nonlinear solvers for the equations describing flow in fractured porous media.

Ingrid Jacobsen

PhD student, UiB

Ingrid is a PhD student at department of Mathematics within the Center for Modeling of Coupled Subsurface Dynamics. Ingrid studied at the University of Bergen in the teacher education program with emphasis on mathematics. This ended up in a master thesis titled "simulation of 3D hydrothermal circulation and application to faulted oceanic ridge systems". The PhD projects focus on mathematical modeling and simulations of friction between large, sliding rock surfaces. A deeper insight into the mechanics of fractrure slip is importaont for understanding risks of induced seismicity during, for example, exploitation of energy from geothermal systems.

Fionn Iversen

Chief Scientist, CGER/NORCE

Session Moderator

Fionn Iversen is chief scientist in NORCE Energy, performing research in the areas of geothermal energy and energy systems, hydrogen value chain, flow modelling and drilling. As chief scientist Iversen is responsible for project development and management, and for ensuring quality in research. Iversen is a doctor of materials technology, within process modelling, and holds an M.Sc. in hydrodynamics and experimental physics



Illustration: Colourbox.com