Norway gas export hits record in December; full-year drops 6.7% (updated)

Bluenord ASA

10/01/2024 09:31

(Adds graphic, detail, December output in paragraphs 7-10)
    By Nora Buli
       OSLO, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Norway's export of natural gas
via pipelines to Europe hit an all-time high in December but
still declined by 6.7% overall in 2023 following lengthy
maintenance outages, pipeline system operator Gassco told
Reuters on Wednesday.
    "December was a fantastic month when it comes to production
from the Norwegian continental shelf," Alfred Skaar Hansen,
Gassco's senior vice president for system operation told
Reuters.
    Norway in 2022 overtook Russia as Europe's biggest source of
gas as Moscow cut supplies amid the war in Ukraine, increasing
the focus on the security and reliability of the Norwegian
energy industry.
    In total, Gassco delivered 109.1 billion cubic metres (bcm)
of gas through its 8,800-kilometre (5468-mile) pipeline network
in 2023, down from 116.9 bcm a year prior, it told Reuters.
    The full-year volume for 2023 had not previously been
reported.
        Gassco had anticipated more extensive maintenance in
2023 after some deferrals to help run its network and export
terminals at close to capacity in the previous year.
  
        Pipeline gas supply to Europe between January and August
had 
    dropped 6.4%
     it said previously, and Norway's natural gas output hit a
four-year low in September.
  
        However, some of the work in 2023 also sought to
increase capacity at the Kollsnes processing plant, which is now
paying dividends, Hansen said.
  
        Deliveries in December set a new monthly record of 11.1
bcm, up from the previous high of 10.9 bcm in January 2017, amid
stable production, good availability of processing facilities
and steadfast demand.
  

    <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Annual Gassco gas delivery volumes    https://tmsnrt.rs/3vBc9Uq
Norway gas production    https://tmsnrt.rs/3NzFbKz
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
 (Reporting by Nora Buli, editing by Terje Solsvik)
 ((Nora.Buli@thomsonreuters.com; (+47) 21 04 05 56; Reuters
Messaging: nora.buli.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))