The European Union wants to receive cheaper gas from Norway / Article

The European Union wants to receive cheaper gas from Norway

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The European Union has relied on relatively inexpensive supplies of energy resources from Russia for decades, but after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the bloc had to hastily seek out other, more reliable suppliers. There was no need to look far, because Norway is a neighbor, one of the largest oil and natural gas producing countries in the world.

Norway has become the largest gas supplier to the European Union via pipelines due to a significant decrease in gas supplies from Russia. The Norwegian Prime Minister, Júnass Gare Stere, had already promised in the spring that his country would do everything to help Europe cope with the energy crisis, due to which it is paying dozens of times more gas prices this year. high compared to last year.

“Europe can be sure that Norway will be a reliable gas supplier.

We will keep our promises and do everything we can to ensure stability in the situation in which Europe currently finds itself. We are getting as much gas as possible and will make sure it is delivered at maximum capacity, ”said Stere.

Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Norway supplied the European Union with about 20% of the gas consumed by the 27 member states of the bloc. For comparison, Russia provided over 40%. However, this year Norway has increased its gas production by 8% compared to 2021 and a total of 122 billion cubic meters of gas could be produced, a record amount.

Norway could export 90 billion cubic meters of gas to the European Union this year, or nearly 25% of the volume needed for the blockade.

So far, Norway has mainly exported its gas to Western Europe through several gas pipelines. However, the “Baltic Pipe” gas pipeline will soon come into operation, through which the gas will also be exported to Poland. It will be able to supply 10 billion cubic meters of gas per year, which is about half of Poland’s total consumption.

Thanks to huge demand and high energy prices, Norway could earn more than 90 billion euros this year from oil and gas exports. It will be 30 billion euros more than in 2021.

The European Union is happy that Norway is helping to supply gas and oil to the bloc, but many disagree with the very high prices of energy resources. Norway has even been accused of using the Russian-initiated war in Ukraine to make money.

Norwegian Prime Minister Stere announced last week that high gas prices are not in his country’s interest, so he will work with the European Union to stabilize the market. In turn, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that the European Union and Norway are working together to reduce the price of gas.

“We must continue to work to lower gas prices. We must ensure our security of supply and at the same time ensure our competitiveness in the world. This is why we will work together with Member States to develop a package of measures that take nature into account. special of our relationship with suppliers, starting with unreliable suppliers, for example Russia, and finally with reliable friends like Norway.I agreed with the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jūnas Gaar Stēri, to create a group.

The working groups have started to work to reduce the price of gas in a reasonable way, “said von der Leyen.

Meanwhile, in Norway, some political and environmental forces are protesting against the increase in oil and gas production.

Norwegian member of parliament and vice-president of the Left Opposition Socialist Party, Turgeir Knaag Fylkesnes, did not deny that Europe should be helped right now, but warned that increased gas exports could harm Norway itself.

“There is an emergency in Europe and suddenly Norwegian gas and oil are very valuable. This creates problems for us, because all investments in Norway go to oil and gas production. This makes it difficult for us to implement the ‘green transition. ‘We can be happy in the short term, but in the long term it’s a big problem for Norway, “says Fielkesnes.

On the other hand, the former head of the Norwegian Green Party, Rasmus Hanson, told Politico that Norway risks damaging relations with its main trading partners by forcing them to pay such a high price for gas.

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