Norway plans wider gas transport nationalisation, including at Nyhamna

In a letter sent to licensees and obtained by Reuters on Friday, the ministry said its plan included "other central parts of the Norwegian gas infrastructure that are currently owned by Nyhamna and Polarled, as well as Vestprosess DA". Much of Norway's gas pipeline network is owned by Gassled, a partnership set up in 2003 by oil companies that were producing gas offshore Norway at the time.

Norway's plan to nationalise gas pipelines owned by the Gassled company also includes an additional goal to take over other assets, including at the Nyhamna processing plant, a letter from the Norwegian energy ministry to the owners showed. In a surprise move, Norway's government last week announced a nationalisation plan that will take effect when many existing Gassled pipeline concessions expire in 2028, but remained tight-lipped about which other assets it sought to acquire.

Following a sharp fall in Russian gas deliveries amid the war in Ukraine, Norway has become Europe's largest supplier via a vast network of pipelines stretching some 9,000 kms (5,600 miles). In a letter sent to licensees and obtained by Reuters on Friday, the ministry said its plan included "other central parts of the Norwegian gas infrastructure that are currently owned by Nyhamna and Polarled, as well as Vestprosess DA".

Much of Norway's gas pipeline network is owned by Gassled, a partnership set up in 2003 by oil companies that were producing gas offshore Norway at the time. It cost billions of dollars to build.