ordinate ▁ag encies ▁and ▁companies ▁include ▁the ▁Water ▁Resources ▁and ▁Energy ▁Director ate , ▁the ▁Pet role um ▁Director ate , ▁Pet oro , ▁G ass n ova , ▁G ass co , ▁En ova , ▁Stat nett ▁and ▁a ▁partial ▁ownership ▁of ▁Stato il . ▁The ▁position ▁was ▁created ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁as ▁a ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁increased ▁importance ▁of ▁oil ▁on ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁contin ental ▁sh elf . ▁The ▁position ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Trade ▁and ▁Indust ry ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁position ▁has ▁been ▁held ▁by ▁sevent een ▁people ▁from ▁five ▁parties . ▁No ▁person ▁has ▁held ▁the ▁position ▁for ▁at ▁least ▁three ▁years , ▁resulting ▁in ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁vol atile ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁cabinet . ▁K å re ▁Krist ians en ▁holds ▁the ▁longest ▁ten ure , ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁six ▁to ▁have ▁held ▁the ▁position ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁years . ▁The ▁position ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁favorite ▁of ▁the ▁Centre ▁Party , ▁who ▁has ▁claimed ▁it ▁in ▁all ▁coal ition ▁govern ments ▁they ▁have ▁participated ▁in ▁except ▁Wil lo ch ▁II . ▁The ▁position ▁has ▁overall ▁been ▁held ▁longer ▁by ▁the ▁Centre ▁Party ▁than ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁ ▁Key ▁The ▁following ▁lists ▁the ▁minister , ▁their ▁party , ▁date ▁of ▁assuming ▁and ▁leaving ▁office , ▁their ▁ten ure ▁in ▁years ▁and ▁days , ▁and ▁the ▁cabinet ▁they ▁served ▁in . ▁ ▁Minister s ▁ ▁References