Statoil earlier today announced proposals to change its name to Equinor.
The company says the rebranding, which takes “oil” out of the name, reflects its commitment to becoming a broader energy firm.
Reactions to the news have been mixed on social media.
“Equinor sounds like a princess on a horse in Game of Thrones,” said one Twitter user. “Equi” is the genitive singular in Latin for “horse”.
Meanwhile, others were more positive, including Norway’s Culture Minister Trine Skei Grande, who said “Congratulations on your exciting changes! The green shift happens faster and faster. Then Norway must be with you… good luck with the process.”
Former White House Energy advisor to President Obama, Jason Bordoff, welcomed the change:
Meanwhile others cast doubt over the suggestion of moving away from oil, including Daniel Lacelle, chief economist for Tressis.
Henrik Tveter is a renewables advisor for clean energy group WWF Norway:
The company says the name is made up of ‘equi’, the starting point for words like equal, equality and equilibrium, and ‘nor’, “signalling a company proud of its Norwegian origin, and who wants to use this actively in its positioning”.
Fredrik Norman is a communications manager for the firm:
The rebrand has become the number one trending topic in Norway, reflecting the heavy presence of the oil major in the country.
The new name will be proposed to shareholders in a resolution at the firm’s annual general meeting on May 15.