Norway is a part of the internal energy market through the EEA Agreement and co-operates with the EU on several energy policy issues. Eighty per cent of Norwegian oil production is sold in the EEA market and almost all Norwegian gas production is delivered through five pipelines to mainland Europe.
Today Norway delivers gas to a number of countries in the EU and Europe, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Denmark and the United Kingdom. In 2004 Norwegian gas exports amounted to 76 bcm. Norway is the world's third largest exporter of natural gas.
In October 2003 the Norwegian and UK Ministers signed an agreement which provides a firm basis for investments in new cross- boundary projects, most notably the proposed pipeline project from Sleipner to Easington in the UK ("Britpipe"). From October 2006 Britpipe is expected to bring an estimated 20 bcm/pa of dry gas from Norway to the UK, in particular from the Ormen Lange field which is planned to come on stream in 2007.
Total oil production in 2004 (including NGL/condensate) was about 3.2 million barrels/day, and the net export of oil about 3.0 million barrels /day. This puts Norway in third place among the leading net oil exporters in the world.
Norway is an integral part of the Nordic and the EU/EEA electricity market. The common Nordic electricity market has a long record, and a Nordic power exchange (Nord Pool) has been established in Oslo by the Norwegian and Swedish system operators. High voltage transmission and sub-sea cable connections have integrated the Norwegian electricity market with those of the Nordic countries. Electricity generation in Norway in a normal year is now calculated to be about 119 TWh. There are large variations in production from year to year due to variations in precipitation. The production is almost exclusively (99 percent) dominated by renewable electricity from hydropower plants.
An important part of Norwegian energy policy is promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and energy technologies. Co-operation at the European level is vital and gives important impulses to the formulation and implementation of domestic policies and contributes to the dissemination of policy instruments and energy technologies. A new state enterprise, Enova SF, was established in 2001 and has taken over responsibility for state efforts to promote energy savings and environmentally friendly forms of energy production (including renewable energy).
Contact at the Mission of Norway to the EU: Marit Engebretsen