The Hague has hosted today a working meeting between Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom’s Management Committee and Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, Economic AffairsMinister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The parties studied possibilities of boosting Russian gas deliveries to the Netherlands by the proposed North European Gas Pipeline and supplying natural gas to the UK through Germany and the Netherlands by the BBL (Balgzand Bacton Line) pipeline currently under construction.

The parties also discussed the prospects for cooperation between Gazprom and NV Nederlandse Gasunie within the NEGP project. Laurens Jan Brinkhorst confirmed Dutch energy companies’ readiness to develop the national gas transmission network within the NEGP project.

Alexander Medvedev and Laurens Jan Brinkhorst expressed a common opinion that given the liberalization of European gas markets Gazprom should prioritize accessing Dutch end users. In that regard, the parties agreed to continue the talks at the governmental and corporate levels with NV Nederlandse Gasunie, Gasunie Trade & Supply BV and Shell.

Reference:

Over 2005 Gazprom supplied the Netherlands with some 4 bcm of gas.

On July 1, 2005 NV Nederlandse Gasunie was unbundled into two independent entities NV Nederlandse Gasunie and Gasunie Trade & Supply BV.

NV Nederlandse Gasunie is a state owned company primarily responsible for operating, maintaining and developing (upgrading and constructing) the Dutch gas transmission system. The company is owner and operator of one of the largest gas distribution networks in Europe, which has a total length of 11,600 km.

Gasunie Trade & Supply BV is an international company focused on natural gas purchase and sale in the domestic and foreign markets. The company’s shareholding is split between the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energie Beheer Nederland owning a 50% stake and Shell and ExxonMobil holding 25% of shares each.