Belgium expects steady growth in its gas demand and sees a growing role for the Belgian gas grid as a transit route for supplies from Norway to other European countries.
Erwin Van Bruysel, assistant director of gas supply for Distrigaz SA, Brussels, said Belgium's gas demand is expected to reach 15 billion cu m/year between 2000 and 2005.
Last year Belgium received 11 billion cu m of gas. Norway provided 20% of the total, Netherlands 40%, and Algeria 40% in the form of LNG delivered to the Distrigaz terminal at Zeebrugge.
Growth to 2000 will be covered by imports from Norway, Van Bruysel said. At the turn of the century, Norway, Netherlands, and Algeria each are expected to provide one third of Belgium's gas supplies.
DISTRIGAZ' ROLE
Speaking at the inauguration of the Zeepipe pipeline in Zeebrugge, Van Bruysel explained that Distrigaz' role as Belgium's gas transmission company covers imports, storage, and sales to distribution companies, large industrial consumers, exports to Luxembourg, and border to border transit.
Van Bruysel said 10 billion cu m/year of gas was currently under contract for transit through Belgium. That breaks out to 8 billion cu m/year for France and 2 billion cu m/year for Spain.
He said, "Despite a gradual decline of transit to France and from Norwegian exports, under older depletion contracts, a rapid rise in transit is projected to reach 15 billion cu m/year by 1995."
Commissioning of Zeepipe last year increased transit flow, while new projects under consideration could further enhance Belgium's role as a transit country.
Market tests on the U.K. Belglum Interconnector pipeline proposal were said to have comfortably met the 15 billion cu m/year demand target.
"Initially, gas is expected to flow toward the continent," Van Bruysel said, "but at a later stage imports via Zeebrugge to Europe's second largest gas market from a range of potential sources will be possible."
Distrigaz also wants to act as a transit route for expected increases in shipments through Zeepipe, while Zeebrugge is a candidate as landing site for a proposed fourth gas trunkline from Norwegian as fields to Europe's market.
"As far as the Zeebrugge site and Belgian grid infrastructure are concerned there would be no conflict with the Interconnector landing," Van Bruysel said.
"We see great complimentarity between both projects and a longer term market need for both lines. Either one of these projects would increase the transit flow through Belgium by almost a factor of two."
Both projects also would require new connections to adjacent countries. In particular, a direct link between the Belgian and German grids near the border town of Aachen would be required.
Van Bruysel said, "This would not only connect us to the German grid but also to the East European network and improve access to Russian supplies."
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