Groningen, 26 June 2008

Cooperation between Gasunie and Baltic Development Forum

Gas-infrastructure company Gasunie and Baltic Development Forum have entered into a strategic partnership.
The agreement was signed at the Gasunie head office in Groningen by Director of the Baltic Development Forum, Hans Brask and the Chairman and CEO of Gasunie, Marcel Kramer.

‘For Gasunie’, Marcel Kramer said, ‘this cooperation brings an important connection to the Baltic Sea Region. Since Gasunie joined Nord Stream and acquired the German company BEB, the countries bordering the Baltic Sea have increasingly become a ‘neighbouring’ region. Gasunie wants to open up to closer relations with these countries. This strengthening of links with the Baltic Sea countries is also important for the Netherlands as a whole and for the Northern provinces.

From the BDF’s perspective, Director Hans Brask stressed that: ‘BDF’s network will benefit from working with Gasunie, a European partner who is, also internationally, appreciated for its knowledge and experience of energy and gas supply and sustainability issues. Gasunie, an independent gas-infrastructure company, has an impressive track record in terms of providing efficient and profitable services to the market and society. We welcome the signing of this agreement as an expression of Baltic Sea cooperation being open and inclusive.’

For more information about BDF's energy-related activities please contact Project Manager Kinga Valeria Szabo on +45 60 21 85 75 ks@bdforum.org
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Profile of N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie
Gasunie is a gas infrastructure and gas transmission company with a prominent position in Europe. The total length of the pipeline network comes to more than 12,000 kilometres and, with a throughput of almost 100 billion m3, it ranks as one of the most extensive high pressure networks in Europe. The system encompasses export stations, mixing stations and compressor stations and more than a thousand delivery stations. Gasunie operates and develops the national gas transmission network and offers transmission services via its subsidiary Gas Transport Services B.V. Gasunie considers the wishes of its customers, who want their gas to be transported at competitive tariffs, to be of prime importance to this process. Gasunie also offers other services the scope of gas infrastructure, including gas storage. Gasunie carries out all these activities in a safe, efficient, profitable and sustainable manner.

In the North West European market area, Gasunie is building onto a central logistical role (‘gas hub’). Participation in Nord Stream is one aspect of that ambition, but the recent purchase of a large German pipeline network and other initiatives, such as participation in the Gate terminal project to receive and regasify liquefied natural gas in Rotterdam (the first one in the Netherlands) and facilities for underground storage, also form part of this aim. A major offshore pipeline between the Netherlands and England (BBL) was also completed at the end of 2006. The main objective is to enable a security of supply and market functioning, also in the longer term, for the Netherlands and the surrounding countries. Gas users want more competition and more options, and adequate infrastructure development is vital to make this possible.