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Beneath the plush countryside in japanese France lie the pipelines anticipated to rescue Europe earlier than a winter with out Russian gasoline.
Europe has scrambled to seek out various vitality sources since main fossil gasoline producer Russia waged warfare on Ukraine in late February.
Fuel arrives within the mountainous Vosges area from Norway, Qatar and even america destined for Europe, particularly export powerhouse Germany.
Right here lies an emblem of European solidarity within the face of disaster.
It’s residence to a big interconnection between a pipeline that brings gasoline, primarily from Norway by way of Dunkirk within the north, and one other within the route of Switzerland, fortifying Europe towards a bitter vitality disaster.
For many years, the French community was designed solely to obtain gasoline from japanese Europe by way of Belgium and Germany, both for use within the nation or redirected to Spain and Switzerland.
However because the warfare, the gasoline routes and the pipes’ route have reversed.
Now France receives gasoline from Spain, and this goes to Belgium and Germany, stated Guillaume Tuffigo of the French community operator GRTgaz.
The importance of the Morelmaison compressor station close to Vittel in Vosges, higher recognized for its mineral water than pipes, shouldn’t be instantly seen the place solely 4 folks work on the remotely managed web site.
– European ‘solidarity’ –
Earlier than the warfare, Russian gasoline provides accounted for greater than 40 % of all imported gasoline into the European Union.
That has now dropped to lower than 10 %.
With Europe pushing to diversify vitality provides, the continent will get extra pure gasoline from Norway in addition to liquefied pure gasoline (LNG) from Qatar and america, which arrive by ships at 4 French LNG terminals.
As soon as seen because the “cul-de-sac” for Russian gasoline, France has now develop into one of many entryways for gasoline to the remainder of Europe.
The present scenario was “nonetheless unbelievable two years in the past”, GRTgaz’s managing director Thierry Trouve informed AFP.
“We did not have too many causes to suppose this east-west circulation may very well be referred to as into query,” Trouve added.
Within the gasoline business, they’d even comment that “Russian gasoline continued to circulation through the Chilly Warfare”, he stated, seeing no motive why this might finish.
Till Russia invaded Ukraine.
Then GRTgaz modified its pipeline networks months in the past to have the ability to ship gasoline to Germany, whose provide primarily got here from Russia.
The gasoline that flows by way of Morelmaison permits France “to indicate solidarity in a really concrete manner and to compensate for the drop in provide from Russia”, stated Tuffigo, head of GRTgaz’s advertising division.
– Vitality cooperation –
Supply to Germany by way of France started in October after the 2 neighbours agreed an vitality cooperation deal a month earlier.
The connection has a most capability of 100 GWh/day, which might be the equal output of 4 nuclear reactors, or 10 % of the entire LNG that France imports every day.
France’s supply of gasoline to Switzerland has risen seven-fold in 2022 in comparison with the earlier yr. And Germany has delivered 70 % much less gasoline this yr in comparison with the identical interval in 2021.
There are 26 gasoline compressor stations like Morelmaison throughout France with 32,527 kilometres (round 20,000 miles) of pipes managed by GRTgaz.
Regardless of the constructive developments, Trouve predicted a troublesome future.
Europe’s present reserve is round 93 % full with out Russian gasoline however for a way lengthy can the continent maintain on?
“Whereas ready for brand new capability for liquefied gasoline manufacturing, it should nonetheless be a tough 5 years.”
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