Statoil and Gasnor have formed a new company, Gasspartner, which will market liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the Stavanger area.
The company will deliver LNG to business firms and housing developments through pipelines from nearby receiving stations.
"This scheme will depend on the customers we get," says Gunnar Myrvang, vice president for gas and energy solutions in Statoil. "We want to accommodate the market with small, inexpensive systems."
LNG will be carried by road tanker from Gasnor's plant which is under construction at Karmøy, north of Stavanger. It is expected to start production early in 2003.
When Gasspartner gets customers in the Stavanger region, receiving stations for LNG will have to be built in the vicinity and pipes will have to be laid. A receiving station will consist of a storage tank for LNG and a small regassification plant. From there the gas will be piped to the customers.
"We intend to do this as cost-effectively as possible and to utilise Gasnor's expertise," reports Mr Myrvang.