Fields representing approximately 200 bcm of gas are being developed at the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) towards 2020.

New field developments could also move Norway's gas transportation system further north and strengthen the flexibility of this system. "A common pipeline from the Luva field to existing processing facilities at Nyhamna will extend the gas value chain and enable several fields in the Norwegian Sea to reach the European gas market", says Mr Brian Bjordal, President and CEO of Gassco.

11 oil and gas companies are currently sponsoring the pipeline project. Concept selection will be made autumn 2011 and the final investment decision is due to late 2012. The maximum depth of the 480 km long pipeline from the Luva field to Nyhamna is around 1300 meters, making it the deepest pipeline on the NCS.

"Investigating the gas future on the NCS will be a challenging, but exciting voyage. We need to estimate the long term demand for gas transport. There is uncertainty related to the resource potential post 2020 and field development in new areas will require a coordinated approach to the infrastructure development. It's essential to understand how the infrastructure alternatives can contribute to long term value creation on NCS", says Bjordal.