▁the ▁oil ▁and ▁gas ▁division ▁of ▁Nor sk ▁H ydro . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Norway ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁share holder ▁with ▁ 6 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁shares , ▁while ▁the ▁rest ▁is ▁public ▁stock . ▁ ▁The ▁ownership ▁interest ▁is ▁managed ▁by ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Pet role um ▁and ▁Energy . ▁The ▁company ▁is ▁head qu arter ed ▁and ▁led ▁from ▁St av anger , ▁while ▁most ▁of ▁their ▁international ▁operations ▁are ▁currently ▁led ▁from ▁For ne bu . ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁Equ in or ▁was ▁adopted ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁and ▁is ▁formed ▁by ▁combining ▁“ equ i ”, ▁the ▁root ▁for ▁words ▁such ▁as ▁equal , ▁equality ▁and ▁equilibrium , ▁and ▁“ nor ”, ▁indicating ▁that ▁the ▁company ▁is ▁of ▁Norwegian ▁origin . ▁The ▁Norwegian ▁meaning ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁name ▁Stato il ▁is ▁State - O il , ▁indicating ▁that ▁the ▁oil ▁company ▁is ▁state ▁owned . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁her itage ▁of ▁Stato il ▁der ives ▁from ▁three ▁major ▁Norwegian ▁pet role um ▁companies ▁Stato il , ▁Nor sk ▁H ydro , ▁and ▁S aga ▁Pet role um ▁( the ▁latter ▁two ▁merged ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ). ▁ ▁Old ▁Stato il ▁ ▁Den ▁N ors ke ▁St ats ▁Ol jes elsk ap ▁A / S ▁was ▁founded ▁as ▁a ▁limited ▁company ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Norway ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁by ▁a ▁un anim ous ▁act ▁passed