Norwegian gas exports to Europe jump

Gassco, the company running the Norwegian gas infrastructure, exported 36.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas during the May-August period hitting a new peak for summer deliveries. 

The operator noted this was a small rise from the same period of 2017, which was a record year for gas exports.

“The basis for these high deliveries is naturally European and British demand for Norwegian gas,” said Gassco CEO Frode Leversund.

More gas is usually exported in the winter months when demand for space heating increases, but this summer’s sales have almost matched a normal winter level.

Gassco transported 117.4 billion scm through the pipeline systems from Norway to continental Europe and the UK during 2017. This was clearly the highest volume sold in 40 years of Norwegian gas exports, and nine times Norway’s annual hydropower output.

“It’s too early to say exactly where we’ll end up this year, but we expect another good performance which will be roughly on a par with the 2017 record,” said Leversund.

Gassco expects to receive the first gas through the new Polarled pipeline later this year. Running from the Aasta Hansteen field to the Nyhamna processing plant on the west coast, this facility will open a new gas region in the Norwegian Sea.