EXCLUSIVE-Norway says high oil prices justified

By Wojciech Moskwa

OSLO, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Global oil markets are balanced and present high oil prices are needed to develop new resources in harder-to-reach places and offset rising production costs, Norway's Petroleum and Energy Minister said on Tuesday.

Odd Roger Enoksen told Reuters the oil market was "quite well" balanced even as oil prices near record highs around $78 per barrel and played down the impact of high energy prices curbing global economic growth.

"(Production) costs have increased a lot in the last couple of years, and we need a high (oil) price to develop new resources," he said in an interview as OPEC ministers met in Vienna to discuss a modest increase in oil output.

Non-OPEC Norway is the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, pumping about 2.4 million barrels per day.

"More production, more resources are now gained in tougher conditions and are more expensive to develop, so we will need high prices and should be comfortable with the price now."

"Of course the less developed countries can suffer from high oil prices but so far we have not seen threatening signs (of an oil-induced slowdown in global growth)," Enoksen added.

As Norway's North Sea oilfields mature, it has been switching to more gas and growth for its companies abroad.

Enoksen said he was pleased with the international expansion of Norwegian oil group Statoil (STL.OL) and merger partner Norsk Hydro (NHY.OL) this year and expected the merged group to gain an even bigger international profile.