A Baltic Gas association has been established with Statoil among its founders to promote the use of gas in this region.
Founded in Copenhagen last week, the new body represents 14 of the major gas companies with operations in countries around the Baltic. It will work to promote consumption of this fuel and to strengthen the integration of the regional transport network.
The lead in establishing Baltic Gas was taken by Dansk Olie & Naturgas (Dong), and this Danish company has also provided the first chair in the person of Povl Asserhøj.
The other members are Vattenfall Naturgas and Sydgas of Sweden, Finland's Fortum Oil and Gas and Gasum, JSC Lentransgas and JSC Gas-Oil from Russia, Eesti Gas in Estonia, Latvia's Latvijas Gaze, Lithuania's Lietuvos Dujos, Polish Oil and Gas, as well as Ruhrgas and Verbundnetz Gas of Germany.
The association has an executive committee drawn from six of its members - including Sigurd Liland, marketing manager for the Nordic region in Statoil's European Gas business area.
"Baltic Gas will work to expand gas consumption in the region by amending general conditions for this business and by integrating supply systems," Mr Liland comments. "Statoil wants to be involved in influencing these developments."
The association is already considering a study of possible interaction between gas and electricity in the Baltic region. That would be pursued in cooperation with the Baltrel organisation, which links electricity companies in the area.