GDF, Total coordinate gas capacity sale in France

Feb. 19, 2008
GDF's transmission subsidiary GRTgaz and Total SA's TIGF have agreed on their first coordinated sale of gas transmission capacity between GRTgaz' southern zone gas transmission system and TIGF's southwestern zone in France.

Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent

PARIS, Feb. 19 -- Gaz de France's transmission subsidiary Gestionnaire du Reseau de Transport Gaz (GRTgaz) and Total's Total Infrastructure Gaz France (TIGF) have agreed on their first coordinated sale of gas transmission capacity between GRTgaz' southern zone gas transmission system and TIGF's southwestern zone in France.

The deal follows the North zone-South zone link-up of France's gas transmission system planned for 2009 (OGJ Online, Feb. 4, 2008).

GRTgaz operates the national gas transmission system in France except for the southwest system, which TIGF operates. The operators organized an open season during which shippers can submit offers for interconnection capacity to either GRTgaz or TIGF starting Apr. 1, 2009, and extending for 2-4 years.

Volumes offered exceeded 73 Gw-hr/day of gas flowing southward from GRTgaz to TIGF and 19 Gw-hr/day flowing northward. Almost all available multiannual capacity was allocated.

Coordination between the operators will continue this year with the sale of available capacity between Jan. 1 and Mar. 31, 2009, as well as over the 2009 summer and winter periods to March 2010.

GRTgaz and TIGF also are working with Spanish system operator Enagas under the Southern initiative of the European Regulator Group for Electricity and Gas to develop interconnection capacity between France and Spain.

In 2007, GRTgaz carried 58 billion cu m of gas, 69% of which was for consumers in France, 18% for adjacent operators—TGF in the southwest and transmission operators in countries bordering France—and 13% for 14 gas storage facilities.

The 2007 gas consumption in the area it covers in France, adjusted for climate variations, was 11% higher than in 2006. Most of the increase was due to gas used as feedstock (298 million cu m) and in the refining industry (219 million cu m). Onsite refinery consumption has been rising steadily over recent years to meet environmental obligations.