Record-beating Norwegian gas export
Norway yesterday exported 342 million cubic meters of gas. That is a new record. The country now covers 17 percent of EU’s total gas consumption.
Head of Gassco, Kjell Varlo Larsen, says to NTB that the record comes just one day after the previous record on Tuesday, E24.no reports. The bigger Norwegian exports come as Russia has cut deliveries of transit gas through the Ukraine.
Mr. Varlo Larsen confirms that Norway now has reached the maximum of its export capacity and that a further increase will require an expansion of the export pipeline system. Norway has a 7800 km long pipeline grid with a total capacity of 350 million cubic meters.
Norway over the next couple of years still intends to expand its gas exports. According to estimates from the Norwegian Petroluem Directorate, the country’s exports are planned increased to 102,9 billion cubic meters in 2009, to 106,7 billion in 2010 and 112,0 billion in 2011, newspaper Dagens Næringsliv reports.
Gassco is a 100 percent state-owned company responsible for the export of Norwegian gas. The company is a non-profit company responsible for operating the Norwegian gas transport system on behalf of 30 suppliers.
