Special operator responsibilities include tasks related to system operation, capacity management, and infrastructure development.
Normal operator responsibilities include technical operation of facilities, pipelines, platforms, license administration, and project development.
These two areas of responsibility are handled through four roles internally at Gassco:
Our job is to ensure that Norwegian gas reaches the intended destination, at the right time, and with the correct volume and quality.
System operation is responsible for tasks related to planning, monitoring, coordination, control, and follow-up of gas from offshore fields. This gas travels through the integrated transport network and to the gas terminals.
In order to plan and deliver gas as promised, we need to carry out several tasks. We must be aware of the physical conditions for gas transport at all times, and we must mix different gas streams to obtain the correct quality.
We must also follow up on both planned and unplanned events in order to know the volumes available at any given time.
It is our job to plan maintenance of the transport system to ensure optimal functionality.
See GMP or UMM for more information.
We allocate capacity in the pipelines and processing plants.
Our goal is to utilise the capacity of the transport system as efficiently as possible. Gassco manages the currently available capacity in the pipeline network and processing plants, and the access to use this system is governed by objective and transparent terms.
Allocation of capacity to shippers is done in an open, fair and equitable manner in accordance with established rules.
We are involved in planning future pipelines, processing plants and receiving terminals.
We initiate and coordinate the processes of developing the gas pipeline network, in addition to processing plants and receiving terminals.
Our recommendations and investment proposals are based on comprehensive evaluation of the gas transport system and resource management.
We have developed our processes in collaboration with the industry to ensure profitable and efficient development of infrastructure, in addition to neutrality and confidentiality in all phases. Our process also ensures independent assessments and necessary involvement of stakeholders, such as infrastructure owners, gas shippers, field operators, government agencies, and other affected parties.
Gassco does not own the infrastructure – we operate on behalf of the other owners. Our recommendations depend on the willingness to invest of the owner companies and resource owners on the Norwegian continental shelf at any given time.
We operate the infrastructure on behalf of the owners and other stakeholders.
We operate an extensive transportation system that connects all gas-producing fields on the Norwegian continental shelf. This system consists of 8598 kilometres of gas pipelines, the processing plants Kollsnes, Kårstø, Nyhamna, and Vestprosess, the platform Draupner and six receiving terminals in Europe.
Gassco has the overall responsibility for all these facilities, in addition to the responsibility of project development and license administration.
Our unit for technical operations relies heavily on support from other units within Gassco, as well as external suppliers where Equinor, Shell, and NSMO/px are the largest.