First Troll gas delivered to Germany

Germany has taken delivery of its first gas supplies from Norway's supergiant Troll field. Verbundnetz Gas AG on Oct. 1 took delivery of gas from Troll and West Sleipner field at Leipzig, also marking the first delivery of Norwegian gas into the former East Germany. In June, Norway's state owned Den norske stats oljeselskap AS (Statoil) marked takeover of the completed Troll project from development operator Norske Shell AS.

Oct. 7, 1996

3 min read

Germany has taken delivery of its first gas supplies from Norway's supergiant Troll field.

Verbundnetz Gas AG on Oct. 1 took delivery of gas from Troll and West Sleipner field at Leipzig, also marking the first delivery of Norwegian gas into the former East Germany.

In June, Norway's state owned Den norske stats oljeselskap AS (Statoil) marked takeover of the completed Troll project from development operator Norske Shell AS.

Troll field is expected to supply as much as 1.05 tcf to Europe via Germany, Belgium, and France during a 50 year span (OGJ, July 1, p. 40). Troll gas moves to market via two 36 in. trunk pipelines to Emden, Germany, and Zeebrugge, Belgium.

Also on Oct. 1, Ruhrgas AG, Essen, Germany's largest customer for Norwegian gas, started delivery of gas to Hungary's oil and gas firm MOL, Budapest.

Ruhrgas has contracted to deliver 17 bcf/year of natural gas to MOL for 10 years. This is said to be the first long term gas sales agreement between western and eastern European gas transmission companies and is intended to diversify Hungary's gas sources.

Until now Hungary has produced 45% of its own gas needs of 375 bcf/year, with the remaining 55% being supplied by Russia's Gazprom.

Norwegian gas supplies

Under the Troll gas sales agreement of 1986, East and West Sleipner, Troll, and other gas fields so far undeveloped could send as much as 1.575 tcf of gas to European customers.

Rita Sussmuth, president of Germany's Bundestag, said, "The start-up of Norwegian gas deliveries finally puts an end to the one-sided dependence on gas imports in East Germany and marks significant progress in enhancing security of supply.

"One year after all facilities in the new German states have been converted from town gas to natural gas, the east German gas industry has achieved a further milestone for economic renewal."

VNG's agreement with Norwegian gas suppliers, led by Statoil, calls for delivery of 2.8 tcf during 20 years, at a value of 12 billion deutschemarks ($8 billion).

VNG will take 5.25 bcf of gas in the first year of the contract, 52.5 bcf in the second year, and then 140 bcf/year starting October 1998. Norway will then provide 27% of VNG supplies.

Statoil said Norway is set to supply 2.205 tcf/year of gas to European countries in 2005 under existing agreements. This will equal 12% of Europe's projected gas supplies at the time, making Norway one of Europe's major suppliers along with Russia, Algeria, and Netherlands.