Gas from Norway

Gas supplies from Norway to the UK could be halted over the weekend if a strike by employees of Norwegian company Equinor (formerly Statoil), which began on Tuesday night, continues to gain momentum. This was reported by the Financial Times on Tuesday, citing Gassco, the Norwegian state-owned operator of an integrated gas transportation system.

"The worst that could happen is that supplies to the UK could come to a complete halt," the newspaper's interlocutor said. Moreover, the newspaper specifies that a strike on Saturday by Equinor workers demanding a pay rise could affect the key Sleipner gas distribution centre, through which supplies to the United Kingdom are delivered.

Norway was the main supplier of gas to the UK last year, supplying 42% of the UK's demand for the fuel. A quarter of Europe's gas needs are also covered by Norwegian gas.

The Financial Times cites an analyst with consultancy firm ICIS who believes the UK could survive without gas from Norway in the short term, given lower levels of electricity consumption in summer.

Also, the analyst points out that the EU, which is struggling to fill gas storage before the winter months, will find itself in a more difficult situation.

It is worth noting that the strike has now shut down the Gudrun, Oseberg South and Oseberg East fields, which have a daily production of around 89,000 barrels of oil equivalent. Natural gas accounts for 27,000 boe of this.

Moreover, the Heidrun, Kristin/Tyrihans and Aasta Hansteen fields will be shut down on July 6. Total production from these three fields is about 333,000 boe, of which 264,000 boe is natural gas. gas.

It is also announced that three more fields, Sleipner, Gullfaks A and Gullfaks C, will be on strike on 9 July.