Norway operates numerous natural gas pipeline connects with the rest of Europe. Some connection run from production facilities directly to receiving terminals in export markets, while others connect Norways onshore processing facilities to these markets. Many pipelines run through riser platforms in the North Sea, hubs that allow different pipeline systems to interface and provide pressure regulation and quantity metering; the most important such platforms are the Draupner, Sleipner, and Heimdal platforms. The 520-mile Franpipe carries 530 Bcf/y from the Troll and Sleipner fields to Dunkerque, France. The Zeepipe I carries 460 Bcf/y from the Sleipner system to Zeebruge, Belgium; an expansion of the system, Zeepipe II, connects the Kollsnes terminal to the Sleipner and Draupner riser platforms, where gas can then flow through the Zeepipe I to Belgium. Three pipelines connect Norwegian natural gas production with Germany: the 290-mile, 640 Bcf/y Europipe I connects the Draupner riser platform to Dornum, Germany, the 410-mile, 850-Bcf/y Europipe II connects the Karsto terminal to Dornum, and the 500-Bcf/y Norpipe connects the Karsto terminal (via the Statpipe) to Emden. Finally, Total operates the Frigg gas pipeline, connecting Norways Frigg field to the gas receiving terminal at St. Fergus, Scotland. In June 2005, Norsk Hydro began construction on the Langeled gas pipeline linking Norways Ormen Lange natural gas field to Easington, England. The project includes two subsea pipes connecting Ormen Lange to a new receiving terminal at Nyhamna and a 750-mile pipeline linking Nyhamma to Easington via the Sleipner riser platform. Langeled will be the longest subsea pipeline in the world, with an initial capacity of 1.9 Bcf/d and planned maximum capacity of 2.9 Bcf/d. Shell will take over the Langeled pipeline in the operational phase. Construction of the system has begun, with completion of the $10 billion project planned by the end of 2007. There has been discussion of building a natural gas pipeline from Norway to Sweden. Gassco formed a consortium of Norwegian and Swedish companies to consider the project, which would consist of a 780-MMcf/d system linking the Karsto processing terminal to western Sweden. In late 2006, Gassco planned to issue a tender for a feasibility study of the project. Poland has also expressed an interest in participating in the project, with the intend of building an extension fo the system to Poland. Such a development could help it reduce its dependency on Russian natural gas imports.

Norway exported 2.9 Tcf of natural gas in 2005, according to Statistics Norway. The country is the second-largest supplier of natural gas to the EU, behind Russia. The largest recipient of Norways natural gas exports in 2005 was Germany (900 Bcf), followed by France (560 Bcf) and the United Kingdom (550 Bcf). The non-EU destinations of Norways natural gas exports were Czech Republic (97 Bcf), Poland (17 Bcf), and Switzerland (2 Bcf). Norway has a collection of micro-LNG facilities, mostly used by domestic distributors with occasional exports to Sweden. One such plant in Tjeldergodden has a capacity of 11,800 tons per year (t/y), while another in Snurrevardenin has a capacity of 21,600 t/y. In late 2005, UK engineering firm Hamworthyhas received a tender to build a micro-LNG plant at Kollsnes, with a capacity of 82,3000 t/y. On a much larger scale, Statoil plans to construct an LNG export terminal at Melkoya, near Hammerfest. The Melkoya facility, which will be the first, large-scale LNG export terminal in Europe, will consist of an anchored barge with pipeline connections to the Snohvit project. Statoil plans to have the the project online by the end of 2006, with an initial capacity of 4.1 million t/y and a potential expansion to 8.2 million t/y. Most of the output from the Melkoya facility has already been contracted to El Paso for delivery to the United States, with smaller amounts going to Iberdrola in Spain.