OSLO: The ownership of Norway’s Nyhamna gas processing plant, a major supplier of energy to Britain, could expand to 13 companies in 2017 from the current five when Gassco succeeds Royal Dutch Shell Plc (NYSE: RDS.A) as the facility’s operator, Shell told press.
Currently processing gas from the offshore Ormen Lange Field, Nyhamna will also receive gas from Statoil ASA’s (NYSE: STO) Aasta Hansteen and other fields from late 2018 via the new Polarled Pipeline.
The plant exports gas to Britain via the Langeled Pipeline, which can meet about 20% of Britain’s gas needs.
A new ownership structure will reflect the addition of more gas input sources, allowing the Polarled owners to take stakes in the plant, Gassco said.
“We can confirm that the Nyhamna gas plant will become part of a new joint venture,” said a Gassco spokeswoman, declining to comment on how the ownership will be split.
Gassco said Shell was expected to remain technical service provider (TSP) at Nyhamna, meaning the company will continue to handle daily operations, similar to the TSP role Statoil plays at the Gassco-operated Kaarstoe and Kollsnes gas plants.
The Nyhamna plant is currently owned by Ormen Lange license partners, which are Norway’s Petoro, Statoil, Shell, Denmark’s DONG Energy and ExxonMobil Corp.
Norway’s oil and energy ministry must approve the new ownership structure and set gas transportation tariffs that will ultimately impact the profitability of the pipelines and processing system.
“The decision [on tariffs] will be made before start-up of operations of the new facilities … after a proposal is sent on public consultation,” a ministry spokesman said.
