Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent
PARIS, Dec. 5 -- A 30 km, 500 million cu m/year international natural gas pipeline connection is being planned between France and Spain, with construction slated to be completed by 2005.
The proposal for the line evolved from efforts by regulators in France, Spain, and Portugal, who indicated in July the need to promote interconnections among the three countries and to develop a southern gas-trading hub that is needed to develop the liberalized European gas market.
The proposed pipeline will be constructed along the Bay of Biscay coastline to connect the regional Gaz du Sud-Ouest gas system in southwestern France to the Spanish grid. It will extend from Bayonne, France, near the Franco-Spanish border, to Saint Sebastian, Spain. The only other gas link currently between Spain and France is the Lacq-Calahorra gas line that crosses the Pyrenees Mountains further east.
Gaz du Sud-Ouest is owned 70% by Total SA and 30% by Gaz de France.