From strong foundations to a confident future
In 2025, we celebrate our 25-year anniversary. From a small startup in a bank vault to an international company with over 900 employees, our journey has been shaped by bold decisions, valuable partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence. Milestones like this invite reflection. Where did we come from? What have we learned? And most importantly—where are we headed?
Before we share our reflections, we want to express our gratitude. To the customers who trusted us with critical parts of their operations. To the partners who delivered the quality we needed to keep our promises. And to the many colleagues who have joined us, briefly or for the long haul, on this journey.
It started with a vision
Cegal was founded by a group of ambitious individuals with one goal: to build something lasting and impactful. They installed servers, CRT monitors, and large machines in a former bank vault, running on a redundant setup. The Dot Com boom provided momentum, but the company was sold just as it began to gain traction.
Then the bubble burst. The buyer went bankrupt, and the founders seized the opportunity to buy the company back, putting everything on the line. The words from the IT Bible had never rung more true: “Never underestimate the value of a restart.”
Their mission was clear: create a great place to work and deliver centralized IT, but with a twist. Instead of being something for everyone, they chose to be everything for someone. That mindset, paired with the motto World Class Service, helped us stand out in a crowded cloud market.
A journey of bold moves
In Stavanger in the early 2000s, oil and gas dominated the landscape. Naturally, this became a key part of our customer base. We became experts in delivering applications to this domain, even pioneering the world’s first centralized delivery of the Petrel E&P Platform*, the core application for geoscientists.
With investor backing, new opportunities emerged. One of them was Blueback Reservoir AS. Initially a customer, Blueback Reservoir soon became a partner. Their people had developed Petrel, and merging the two companies created a natural bridge between IT and the oil and gas industry. Blueback Reservoir’s global presence also opened doors for international expansion.
Successful mergers are never just about systems; they’re about trust, collaboration, and having fun. Over the years, more companies joined Cegal, bringing expertise and strengthening our foundation.
As the green shift gained momentum, another leap of faith followed. SYSCO was looking for a partner, and Cegal was seeking ways to build a more sustainable future. It was another perfect match.
Tomorrow starts today
After 25 years, we are no longer a small startup but a company with significant potential and a wide range of expertise, exactly what’s needed for the road ahead. Change is constant, but growth is a choice, and it takes courage to grow both as a company and as individuals. Like seeds that don’t ask for space but simply take it, we must claim our place in the future.
The world has changed dramatically since 2000, and today being an expert in the energy industry means being part of the global transition. That commitment is what draws talent to Cegal and keeps us striving to stay relevant. Every day, we work with ownership, clear priorities, and a determined mindset to shape our own future and ensure customers choose us and choose to stay.
Launching the next 25 years will require something different than what it did in 2000. We don’t know exactly what Cegal will look like in 2050, but we do know this: we won’t get there by waiting for someone else, somewhere else. It’s us, and it’s now—because tomorrow starts today.
*Mark of SLB
by Fabel Media
