Gaz de France agreed with Norway's Gas Negotiation Committee (GNC) and Total Norge AS to buy 40 billion cu m of Norwegian gas during 26 years beginning in 2001.
Deliveries under the contract will reach a plateau of 2 billion cu m/year in 2005. Then France will be receiving a total 15 billion cu m/year of Norwegian gas, giving Norway a 35% share of the French gas market.
Deliveries will be through the planned 860 km Zeepipe IV trunk line to be laid from Sleipner field most likely to Dunkirk, France. The line is to start up Oct. 1, 1998 (OGJ, Dec. 12, 1994, p. 32).
GNC is composed of Den norske stats oljeselskap AS, Norsk Hydro AS, and Saga Petroleum AS. No decision has been reached on which fields will supply gas for the contract.
Total, with one of industry's largest portfolios of undeveloped Norwegian gas reserves, was central to negotiations for the deal. To speed an earlier agreement, Statoil and Total last year jointly guaranteed to supply 4 billion cu m of gas to Gaz de France.
For this new deal, Statoil and Total have been joined by Hydro and Saga as guarantors. Norway's gas suppliers are expected to submit field development and gas production plans to government next month in the first stage of allocating gas to meet a number of recent contracts.
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