Norwegian gas supplies to the EU will remain high for another 5 years, increasing the need to protect Norwegian infrastructure

Norway, which increased its natural gas supplies to the EU last year, plans to maintain this higher level of supply for at least another 5 years, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store has said. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that, given their importance to the EU, Norwegian energy facilities are “vulnerable”, prompting NATO to step up its surveillance of them.

Norwegian natural gas supplies to the EU

Last year, Norway became Europe's largest single gas supplier following the reduction in Russian gas supplies, as the Norwegian prime minister said. Pipeline gas deliveries in 2022 reached 116.9 billion mᶾ, compared with 113.2 billion mᶾ the previous year. The 2017 record stands at 117.4 billion mᶾ.

As we reported earlier, Norway will seek to keep gas production at very high levels through 2030. According to a Platts estimate, production is expected to peak around 2025. However, this will also depend on sustained demand from the EU and its willingness to sign longer-term contracts. Norwegian company Equinor has already announced its intention to invest in developing oil and natural gas fields.