While being an established post-industrial economy is part of it, Norway was also keenly aware of the resource curse at that point. The "Dutch disease" comes from what happened when the Dutch, a liberal democracy, found oil in the 1950s — just a little before Norway did.

A lot is thanks to Farouk Al-Kasim [1], who helped develop the fundamental plan for Norway's petroleum industry. As far I know, his task group's plan, developed while at the Department of Industry, was essentially accepted wholesale by the government. Part of it was ensuring the government retained control, and another part of it was ensuring oil revenue was carefully managed rather than flooding every level of society and government.

[1] https://archive.ph/lEYl7

yeah this is the big one, there was already a track record of natural resource windfalls messing stuff up well before the Norwegians started getting that $$$

this also means there weren't entrenched oil barons (or rail barons, or shipping barons, etc.) that already had massive regulatory capture and could sway the government and economy their way.

greenfields, limited rent seeking, and knowledge of the risks -- sure enough it all went right

|Or even the USA historically. Pre 1900s, America was a country of continual economic crises, and fractured politics.

Have you read about the US post-1900? I think you can leave off pre 1900s…