While much of the world has been grappling with the energy crisis, Norway has weathered the storm with relative ease.
"The fuel prices have gone up, but we can't really compare it to the rest of Central Europe in that regard, so we're happy," says Oslo resident Andrea Krokan who works aboard a diesel-run charter boat.
Norway is Europe's largest supplier of natural gas and one of its key oil providers.
To offset an expected decline in production after 2030, the Scandinavian kingdom has approved new drilling in up to 70 locations across the North Sea, Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea, despite fierce opposition. Some of the 70 new oil and gas exploration blocks lie closer to Norway's coastline than ever before.
The government says the aim is to strengthen Europe's energy security at a time when oil and gas supplies remain constrained due to the Middle East crisis. Environmental groups, however, argue the move amounts to greenwashing and say plans to explore more gas fields will undermine Norway's climate commitments.
"It will harm our reputation but that's not the biggest problem. The biggest problem is that it harms the environment," Lars Haltbrekken, a Member of Parliament from the Socialist Left Party, told CGTN.
Critics say that the planned exploration will not only drive up CO2 emissions but also threaten the country's coastline. (Photo: CGTN)
He adds that the planned exploration will not only drive up CO2 emissions but also threaten the country's coastline.
"If there is an oil spill it will only take hours before the oil hits the land," Haltbrekken said.
While fossil fuels are largely exported abroad, Norway's domestic energy landscape is significantly greener.
The country remains the global leader in electric vehicle adoption, with nearly 98% of new cars now electric. Its power grid is also almost entirely run on renewable energy, helping to keep electricity affordable.
"In day-to-day life, they charge it at home. We have low energy prices, mostly because you have a fixed price now in Norway... it's called the Norwegian Price," said Nils Sødal of the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF).
Despite relying heavily on renewable energy at home, Norway maintains that oil and gas will remain vital to Europe's energy needs throughout the transition to cleaner alternatives.