The Muslim Arab Behind Norway’s Oil Wealth1968, Farouk Al-Kasim, an Iraqi  petroleum geologist with experience working in Iraq’s oil industry, moved to Norway to seek medical treatment for his son.

2.Norway discovered oil in 1969, with the first major oil field, Ekofisk, being identified.

3.Farouk initially intended to stay in Norway temporarily and then return to Iraq. However, after state officials learned of his credentials, they sought his help, and he played a critical role in shaping Norway’s petroleum policies:

1.He advocated for government control over oil resources.

2.He suggested the establishment of Statoil (now Equinor) as a state-owned oil company.

3.He promoted the sustainable management of oil revenues, which eventually led to the creation of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund.

He is credited with saving Norway from the “resource curse.”