Esso-Park!

Esso-Park! explores one of the oldest, now abandoned oil infrastructures in Stavanger, the so-called ‘oil capital’ of Norway. The initiative invites neighbours and others to encounter the site’s ruins and ruderal plants through conversations, walking, resting, sketching and other activities—as gathering spaces for reflecting on the city’s uncertain post-petroleum and climate futures.

The ‘Esso-tomt’ (Esso lot) in Kvalaberg hosted one of Stavanger’s earliest oil facilities. After the company Esso ceased operations at the site in the late 1980s, it remained fenced in for another thirty years. Over time, vegetation began reclaiming the ruins of fuel tanks. Birds found nesting places amidst lingering pollution. Life here has uniquely adapted to the site and formed a rare and uncontrolled landscape.

As part of the planning process for developing the neighbourhood, Stavanger Municipality has gathered residents’ views on the ‘Esso-tomt’. The plan is to transform this area into “Hamnevika friområde” (Hamnevika outdoor area): as the local paper framed it, “the meeting place between luxury apartments […] and older industry”.

But what even is a park? What will be demolished? What can be preserved? Should we intervene at all? Who are we? And who owns the ‘Esso-tomt’? 

A focused programme of walks, conversations, and drawing sessions will open for encounters and platforms of exchange. Activities will be free and open to everyone. Please keep in mind: the area has, by nature, limited accessibility and presents certain terrain-related risks.

Esso-Park! programme

September 5–13: Esso-Park! is part of European Action Week 

Sunday, September 6, 1:00–3:00 p.m. Informal cleanup event. What is waste? What should be removed from this abandoned site? What belongs? And who gets to decide?

Saturday, September 12, 12:00–2:00 p.m. Open Creative Workshop. Open to everyone, in collaboration with Stavanger Urban Folkehøyskole. What can we learn from plants and ruins? What stories do you find? What does the Esso site mean to you? 

Sunday, September 13, 2:00 p.m. What is Esso-Park? Informal gathering (assembly) and presentation of the project. Questions and input are very welcome.

Sunday, September 13, 3:00 p.m. Reading by Øyvind Rimbereid 

September 14–20: Esso-Park! Week (Satellite Events)

Monday, September 14, 5:00–7:00 p.m. Exploratory Walk with Todor Kesarovski, UiS

Tuesday, September 15, 5:00–6:30 p.m. How Do We Talk About the City?, open conversations.

Wednesday, September 16, 5:00 p.m. Climate Futures Zine-Making

Wednesday, September 16, 9:00 p.m. Film screening: Stalker (Andrei Tarkovsky) with Henrik Lundberg 

Thursday, September 17, 5:00–7:00 p.m. Exploratory Walk with Todor Kesarovski, UiS

Saturday, September 19, 1:00 p.m. Folkeakademiet: Participation—Rhetoric or Reality. Conversation with Rolf Atle Kristofferson about “The Right to the City” and residents’ role in planning processes.

Sunday, September 20, 2:00 p.m. Wrap-up. Reflections on the discussions and collected material. 

Sunday, September 20, 3:00 p.m. Folk music by Anders Hana and others (weather permitting!)