Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent
PARIS, Mar. 14 -- The first shipment to France of LNG from Snohvit in Norway was delivered to Gaz de France's Montoir-de-Bretagne terminal in Brittany Mar. 12. The Provalys LNG carrier, especially fitted out to withstand the severe weather conditions in Norway's arctic waters, will unload 154,500 cu m of LNG, marking the opening of a new LNG supply route capable of providing 700 million cu m/year of gas for the European market.
Snohvit field licensees are StatoilHydro (operator) 33.5%, Petoro 30%, Total E&P Norway 18.4%, Gaz de France 12%, Hess 3.3%, and RWE Dea Norway 2.8%.
LNG accounted for 31.5% of Gaz de France's overall gas supplies in 2007. Deliveries from Snohvit will increase its supply flexibility. The group is already the largest LNG importer in Europe. It has been involved in the Snohvit project, in which it holds a 12% stake, from initial development planning. Commissioned in September 2007, the Hammerfest facility is the first liquefaction plant in Europe, said Gaz de France.
Norway currently is the group's main natural gas supplier, accounting for 21.5% of its overall supply portfolio. Gaz de France Norge is also involved in Norway's upstream and in 2006 was approved by the Norwegian authorities as operator for the production phase of Gjoa field, another natural gas development.