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Norway interruption presses European gas prices to highest this year

Norway's gas exports to Europe fell dramatically on Monday as a shutdown of the overseas Sleipner hub halted operations at the Nyhamna onshore processing plant, pipeline operator Gassco said, lifting European costs to their highest level this year.

The failure was brought on by a fracture found in a two-inch pipeline onboard Norway's overseas Sleipner Riser platform, the company stated. It was not yet known the length of time this will require to repair work, however the situation is ruled out unsafe, it added.

This has big effects from a supply perspective, Alfred Hansen, head of pipeline system operations at Gassco, informed .

The interruption at the Equinor-operated Sleipner platform, which began late on Sunday, was set to continue Tuesday, according to Gassco.

The field operator will give us a more precise price quote for the length of time it might require to repair, and we will then upgrade our projections appropriately, Hansen stated.

Norway in 2022 surpassed Russia as Europe's greatest gas supplier after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine severed decades-long energy ties.

Sleipner Riser is a connection point for the Langeled North and Langeled South pipelines connecting the Nyhamna plant on Norway's west coast with the Easington terminal in northeast England.

Both terminals were shut on Monday, openness information showed, with Norwegian gas supply nominations falling to 256 million cubic metres (mcm) each day, from 300 mcm/day nominated on Friday, according to Gassco data.

While options exist for bypassing Sleipner, this is time-consuming and not without danger, Hansen stated.

Europe's benchmark gas rate, the Dutch front-month agreement , was up 7.2% at 37.08 euros/MWh by 1322 GMT, easing from an earlier peak of 38.56 euros, its highest level considering that early December.

Gassco is working with Equinor to resolve the circumstance, a. Gassco spokesperson said individually.

We are working ... with a prepare for repair work and with a plan. for offsetting steps to provide the greatest possible volume. to Europe, the representative stated.

While Nyhamna plant operator Shell confirmed the. problem was connected to Sleipner, an Equinor spokesperson referred. any concerns on the problem to Gassco.

Nyhamna is able to process approximately 79.8 mcm per day, with the. present shutdown resulting in a real loss of 56.7 mcm on Monday,. according to Hansen. Britain's Easington terminal has a capability. of 72.50 mcm/day.

(source: Reuters)