Statoil was - in spite of declining oil and gas prices - able to deliver an adjusted operating profit of USD 2.9 billion before taxes, and USD 928.2 million after taxes, according to the company's first quarter interim report.

Both figures surpassed analysts' expectations, reports Danish media Ritzau Finans - yet Statoil's net result for the first three months of 2015 still came to a deficit due to a major impairment on assets.