Day-to-day operation of the Norwegian gas terminal at Easington on the British east coast will be taken over by the 30 employees of Gassco UK Branch AS on Saturday 1 October.

The Langeled receiving facilities (LRF) are the most important landfall for supplies from Norway to Europe’s largest gas market. Norwegian gas meets about 27 per cent of Britain’s annual consumption of roughly 100 billion cubic metres.

Operational since October 2006, the LRF receive gas from such sources as the Ormen Lange field in the Norwegian Sea. Deliveries from the latter arrive at the LRF via a processing plant at Nyhamna in western Norway and the 1 200-kilometre Langeled pipeline operated by Gassco.

Britain’s Centrica has previously been responsible for day-to-day running of the plant in Easington, which is owned by the Gassled joint venture. In September 2009, the latter approved the decision to transfer day-to-day operation of the LRF to Gassco. The operating agreement with Centrica was then cancelled.

At the same time, a project organisation was established to prepare for the takeover. This has collaborated closely with Centrica.

Work has included establishing an operating company in the UK, recruitment and training of personnel, and construction of a new administration building with control room, warehouse and workshop.

In addition, the project has implemented Gassco’s management systems as well as its ICT systems for operation and administration.

“As the final destination for Norwegian gas before it reaches the market, our receiving terminals have a special function,” says Gassco chief executive Brian Bjordal.

“A direct exercise of our operatorship is important for the independence and neutrality which represents the very basis of our operations. “Day-to-day technical operation of the LRF also gives us a clear and distinct interface with the authorities in Europe’s largest gas market.”

Tags: Gassco