A consortium of companies, led by BG, Ruhrgas, and Distrigas, operates the Interconnector Pipeline between Bacton, England and Zeebrugge, Belgium. The Interconnector, inaugurated in 1998, is capable of bi-direction operation, meaning either it can export Natural Gas from the UK to continental Europe (Forward Mode), or it can import natural gas into the UK (Reverse Mode). For most of its career, the Interconnector operated in Forward Mode, with a capacity of 1.9 Bcf/d. However, since mid-2005, the system has operated mostly in Reverse Mode, with a recent expansion increasing this capacity to 1.6 Bcf/d. The operators of the Interconnector plan to expand the systems Reverse Mode capacity to 2.3 Bcf/d by the end of 2006. The UK also imports natural gas through the Frigg pipeline system, operated by Total. Frigg connects the St. Fergus gas terminal with the Frigg gas field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Finally, the UK-Eire Interconnector connects the UK with the Republic of Ireland, running from Moffat, Scotland to Dublin.
In 2003, the UK and Norway finalized the necessary political conditions for construction of the Langeled pipeline system linking Norways Ormen Lange natural gas field to Easington, England. The 750-mile Langeled would be the longest sub sea pipeline in the world, with an initial capacity of 1.9 Bcf/d and planned maximum capacity of 2.9 Bcf/d. Construction on the project has begun, with completion expected by 2007. Gasunie plans to build a 146-mile gas pipeline linking Balgzand, the Netherlands to Bacton, England. Initial construction on the Balgzand-Bacton Line (BBL) began in October 2004, with completion of the project expected by the end of 2006. According to Gasunie, the BBL will have an initial capacity of 1.1 Bcf/d, with a maximum capacity of 1.7 Bcf/d.