Offshore staff
KOPERVIK, Norway -- Norwegian gas distributor Gassco will include vessels when performing analyses of gas transport from the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). This follows a request from the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.
The idea is to review alternatives to pipelines, which are historically the chief export solution for Norwegian gas.
Gassco operates most of the gas infrastructure on the NCS, including the processing plants at Kårstø north of Stavanger and Kollsnes near Bergen.
The company also acts as infrastructure developer, assessing new gas processing and transport solutions. These include liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas, according to Thor Otto Lohne, senior VP for financial and commercial development.
“Good forward-looking solutions call for us to think along broader lines, and ship transport would equip us better to meet the demanding challenges which face the NCS. Apart from technological issues such as deep waters, wave heights, and high reservoir temperature and pressure, gas finds lie far apart. Ship transport could then be a relevant option.”
Gassco has studied the potential for LNG shipments from Statoil’s Luva field development in the Norwegian Sea as a comprehensive or partial export solution. But building a pipeline to the existing gas infrastructure onshore is probably much less costly.
The company also is assessing CNG as a potential way of transporting gas.
08/30/2010
