Security of supply
Security of supply
Transmission, storage and treatment of natural gas are currently Gasunie’s core functions. In the Netherlands the economic value of the energy we transport is enormous. Accordingly, our stakeholders attach great importance to our core services and the support products and services we offer being available at all times, without interruption.
Transmission security
In the first half of 2024, we provided a high level of transmission security for our customers in the Netherlands. There was one transmission interruption, at an interconnection point with the Belgian grid operator Fluxys, which fortunately did not cause any problems, thanks to timely communication with Fluxys. There were no transmission interruptions in Germany (the same as in the first half of 2023). We have set ourselves a standard of no more than six transmission interruptions in any one year and we have remained below this figure so far in 2024.
GTS (in the Netherlands) transmitted 322 TWh of natural gas in the first half of 2024, which is 14% less than the 377 TWh transmitted in the first half of 2023. This is also the lowest volume GTS has ever transmitted over the first six months of a year. Gas production from the Groningen field has now ceased.
Over the first six months of the year, GUD transmitted 127 TWh of natural gas, down 8% on the 139 TWh transmitted over the first half of 2023. Thanks to the new LNG import facilities in Stade and Brunsbüttel, GUD recently transported domestic regasified LNG through its pipelines for the first time.
* The total volume that GUD transports on an annual basis is greater than the entry volumes shown in these visuals. GUD’s gas transmission network is linked to those of other German TSOs. The entry volumes shown are GUD’s share in the volumes stated in the ‘nominations’ (i.e. shipper’s requests) at the entry points.
In the first half of 2024, GUD also received imports from Denmark (0.3 TWh) as well as domestic biomethane (0.04 TWh); these shares are not reflected in the visual above due to their small size (in the first half of 2023, the entry volumes from these two sources was zero).
Uncontrolled events
Uncontrolled events are incidents involving gas leaks (of natural gas, biomethane, hydrogen, nitrogen, air) of over 14,000m3 from a Gasunie-operated pressure holder with a rated pressure of 8 bar or higher. From 2022, we tightened the requirement for the maximum number of uncontrolled events, from 3 annually to no more than 2 per year. No uncontrolled events occurred in the first half of 2024 (2023: 0).
Quality conversion
In the first half of 2024, GTS blended 122 TWh of high-calorific gas (H-gas) with nitrogen to produce low-calorific Groningen-quality gas (pseudo G-gas). This is 20% less than in the first half-year of 2023 (152 TWh) and is due to decreased demand for pseudo-G gas. The amount of nitrogen used for conversion decreased from 1.6 bcm to 1.3 bcm.
EemsEnergyTerminal
The EemsEnergyTerminal at the port of Eemshaven has been operational since September 2022 and has since serviced more than 100 LNG carriers. The rapid development of EemsEnergyTerminal is considered to be one of the most important and successful projects in Europe to reduce dependence on Russian gas.
The terminal was initially contracted for a period of five years, though Gasunie and Vopak are now investigating whether, for the sake of energy security and the energy transition, the terminal should remain in operation longer. The results of this investigation may result in an ‘open season’, where the required capacity is offered to the market in a transparent manner.
At present, the Netherlands depends on gas imports to meet roughly 75% of its gas demand. As LNG imports are expected to continue to be needed over the coming years, the LNG terminal is set to play a key role in the transition to renewable energy.
As part of the study, Gasunie and Vopak are conducting a market consultation to check the level of interest in the market for expanding the scope of the port of Eemshaven and developing it into an energy hub, specifically with regard to the possibilities for hydrogen and for CO2 transport and export.
Groningen gas field closure
In March, Gasunie Transport Services (GTS) made recommendations on the security of supply of natural gas in the Netherlands after the closure of the Groningen field. Supply of gas from Russia to north-western Europe has ceased almost entirely. This is being compensated for by importing as much gas as possible from Norway and as much LNG as possible through Gate terminal and EemsEnergyTerminal. With the closure of the Groningen field, the storage facilities will become the principal source of seasonal flexibility. GTS recommends that additional statutory measures be implemented concerning:
- establishing a statutory standard filling level for seasonal storage facilities that market parties would be required to adhere to; and
- the government designating a party to act as back up in the event that the market parties do not meet their obligation on time.
InfraVision
How will the energy transition change our energy supply? And what adjustments and innovations are needed to meet the energy demand in the Netherlands on the way to 2050? We are transitioning from an energy system with 20% electrons and 80% molecules to one with between 40 and 50% electrons and 60 to 50% molecules. The InfraVision report published in April details Gasunie’s vision on the development of the infrastructure for molecules up to 2050. Our infrastructure can handle many sustainable future scenarios, and we can adapt it to the changing needs of society. Our infrastructure contributes to ensuring a sustainable and prosperous Netherlands. And with our connections to storage, import terminals and the surrounding countries, we remain a vital hub for energy in north-western Europe.
ETL-180
In March Gasunie Deutschland commissioned the ETL-180, a 55km-long pipeline connecting the FSRU terminal at Brunsbüttel with Gasunie’s existing network of transmission pipelines in the Hamburg area. This has made an important contribution to security of supply in Germany and in Europe in general. The ETL-180 pipeline was completed in just under a year.
Conversions at major industrial users
To facilitate the closure of the Groningen field, in 2019 the Dutch government decided that large industrial companies with annual consumption of more than 100 million m3 of low-calorific gas would be required to switch to another form of gas. Since April, the RoCa (Uniper) and Diemen (Vattenfall) power stations have been running on high-calorific gas, for which purpose GTS has constructed new pipelines, converted sections of pipeline, and made adjustments to gas receiving and gas metering and regulating stations. GTS plans to switch over a third power station this year.
Satellite-based pipeline monitoring
Over the past six months, GTS has been conducting a pilot to see whether and how satellite-based monitoring can contribute to pipeline safety in the area of pipeline management. Together with Orbital Eye, the partner for this pilot, the advantages and disadvantages of this method compared to the standard aerial inspections using helicopters were investigated in three different regions.
TTF
Between January and the end of May 2024, market parties traded a total of 27,841 TWh of gas on the TTF, an increase of 46% above the 19,123 TWh traded during the same period in 2023. The rising trend from 2023, which started after the crisis year 2022, has continued to strengthen, with trading through the gas exchange increasing in particular. Monthly OTC trading volumes were also higher than in the same months of 2023. Gasunie’s TTF natural gas exchange continued to be Europe’s largest hub by far. In May 2024, 163 market parties were active on TTF, the same number as in May 2023.