Two German gas suppliers and two Norwegian gas producers have inaugurated a 292 km natural gas pipeline in northern Germany designed to handle increased imports of Norwegian gas.
Existing contracts between Norwegian producers and German importers require gas imports to northern Germany to be hiked to 1.05 tcf/year by 2005 from the current 385 bcf/year.
The Norddeutsche Erdgas-Transversale (Netra) gas pipe line takes gas from Etzel, near the Emden terminal of Norway's North Sea trunk lines, to Salzwedel, where it links up with recently laid pipelines into former East Germany (see map, OGJ, Oct. 24, 1994, p. 36).
NETRA LINE DETAILS
The Netra line was built by partners BEB Erdgas & Erdol GmbH, Ruhrgas AG, Den norske stats oljeselskap AS (Statoil), and Norsk Hydro AS. BEB is operator.
The Netra line has a diameter of 1,200 mm and a maximum operating pressure of 84 bar. Capital expenditure was 1 billion deutschemarks ($720 million). With installation of compressor stations, the line is designed to handle 560-630 bcf/year of gas.
Netra is connected via a 68 km pipeline to the Norwegian export system landfall at Emden. At Salzwedel it is linked to a 180 km pipeline to Bernau on the Berlin gas distribution ring, operated by Verbundnetz Gas AG, Ruhrgas, and BEB.
From Wardenburg the Netra line is connected via a 200 km Ruhrgas pipeline to Werne at the eastern edge of the Ruhr area. There it links with Ruhrgas lines to Schluchtern and Vitzeroda.
This network of about 1,000 km of pipelines completed the past 3 years enables Norwegian gas to be delivered to western, southern, and eastern Germany. Combined capital outlay was 3 billion deutschemarks ($2.16 billion).
CHANGING SUPPLY PATTERNS
Ruhrgas Chairman Klaus Liesen said at the inauguration that contracts concluded to date will increase Norway's share of western Europe's gas supplies to 50% the next 10 years from the current 10%.
"In that period, Norway's share in the German gas market, currently 15%, will move up to 30%. On the German side, we believe and hope that this will not be the end of the road."
Heinrich L. Kolb, parliamentary state secretary at Germany's Federal Ministry of Economics, said the Netra line is an important step in achieving further diversification of gas supplies for eastern Germany and in reducing dependence on Russia.
"Following the commissioning of the Europipe I offshore trunk line this autumn," said Kolb, "it is now possible to transport more than 1.05 tcf/year of gas from the Norwegian North Sea to Germany via the two existing pipeline systems.
"The region around Emden and Etzel will thus become a major hub for gas transportation to the south and east. Its importance will grow still further when Europipe II comes into operation around 2000. Then some 1.575 tcf of Norwegian gas will reach Ger- many's North Sea coast annually."
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