There is no mainland transportation and distribution network, so development possibilities in the near term are restricted to projects near coastal landing facilities. Starting in 1997, 0.7 bcm per year of natural gas is being delivered from the Heidrun field to a methanol production facility at Tjeldbergodden. Naturkraft, owned by the state energy group comprised of Statoil, Statkraft and Norsk Hydro, is in the process of licensing two 350 MW CCGT power stations to use gas from the continental shelf. Naturkraft has negotiated to purchase 1 bcm per year of gas under a 20 year contract to serve the generating plants. The project has been sanctioned by the Government in a white paper, but some groups are opposing the plants on the basis of increased CO 2 emissions.
Gas is used in offshore production to enhance oil recovery.
Some producing fields buy gas from other fields for re-injection. For example, the Oseberg field, due to Government resource management requirements, buys 3.5 bcm per year from the Troll field for re-injection to enhance oil recovery. Re-injected gas can largely be recovered for subsequent sales. Natural gas is also used as fuel at offshore facilities. These figures signify Norway's potential to become a much larger gas supplier in the future.