UK-Belgium Interconnector switched Sunday to carry gas to UK

London (Platts)--22Aug2005

The UK-Belgium gas Interconnector began to switch flow direction to UK-import
for the sixth time this summer Aug 21, the pipeline's operator said at
the weekend.
     It switched from carrying gas from the UK to Belgium, which it had been
doing since Aug 19. 
     By 1019 BST (0919 GMT) Monday within-day NBP gas was trading at 31.3p/th,
down from Friday's price of 32.15p/th. Prompt prices at the UK and Belgian gas
hubs are closely balanced at the moment, which has resulted in repeated
switches of direction in the pipeline this summer. 
     Since the line opened in 1998 the UK has always imported gas during the
winter and exported all summer, with few rapid switches. The increased need
for imports this year could be the result of the North Sea's accelerating
production decline, analysts said.
     The pipe can send 20-bil cu m/year from the UK to Belgium or 8.5 Bcm/year
from Belgium to the UK, although the latter is to almost double by
November 2005.

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