In the case of Enagás, the most significant infrastructures launched into operation were the following:
- The eighth tank at the Barcelona Regasification Plant. A capacity of 150,000 m3 of LNG and 1,950,000 m3 of emission capacity per hour.
- The Algete-Yela gas pipeline, 90 km long and with a 26” diameter.
- The Tivissa-Paternagas pipeline, two sections: Tivissa-Vilanova d’Alcolea (114 km) and Vila Real-Paterna (64 km). Both with a 40” diameter.
- Construction of the Denia, Arnedo and Chinchilla compression stations.
The completion of the Algete-Yela, pipeline, which was launched into service on 7 July 2011, will enable connection with the Yela underground storage with the future Zarza de Tajo-Villar de Arnedo axis, as well as the development of new connections in the Guadalajara province.
The complete duplication of the Tivissa-Paterna pipeline (scheduled for April 2012) guarantees the viability of exports through the Larrau international connection and increases safety of the system by alleviating the vulnerability of the Barcelona plant.
Enagás has developed a pioneering electricity generation method in its Palos de la Frontera (Huelva) terminal, which utilises the coldness of LNG. The cold contained in the LNG (-160ºC) serves to obtain net electricity power generation of 4.5 MW, which enables the terminal to be self-sufficient.
Enagás has been selected as the world leader of the utilities section in the latest Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) review. The company has been included for the first time among 19 companies that are international leaders in the sector in which it is included.
Enagás and Vopak successfully completed the acquisition of the Altamira regasification plant in Mexico in September. The new joint company created (60% Vopak; 40% Enagás) has assumed operation of the facility. For Vopak it is the second regasification plant in which it is present, after the plant launched into operation in the Netherlands. For Enagás it is the fifth terminal and the first outside of Spain.
It was also discovered in mid-September that Enagás had entered into forming part of the capital of Gascan. Compañía Transportista de Gas Canarias S.A. was founded with the aim to build two regasification plants; one in Tenerife (in Puerto de Granadilla) and another in Gran Canaria (in Puerto de Arinaga). Each one will have a 150,000 m3 LNG storage tank and an emission capacity of 145,000 Nm3/h.
Endesa owns 47.18% of the Gascan’s capital, with the remaining 10.88% owned by a Canary Islands government company.
Law 12/2011 regarding civil responsibility for nuclear damage was published in the 28 May Official State Gazette. The sixth final disposition modified the 34/1998 hydrocarbons act, adding a disposition named Enagás S.A. subsidiary companies constitution, which indicates that Enagás shall incorporate two subsidiary companies. The functions of system technical management will correspond to one of these and the other will be a transport company.
Gas Natural Transporte launched the Cenicero-Nájera-Ezcaray pipeline into operation in June 2011. It is 49 Km long. In the same month, this company launched the Larraga-Los Arcos pipeline into operation, which is 35 Km long. The latter will join 16 towns from the valleys of the Oja and Najerilla rivers, in La Rioja.
The distribution activities of the companies belonging to Grupo Gas Natural Fenosa have also maintained the expansion rhythm of preceding years. Some examples are the distribution activities carried out by Gas Natural Castilla-La Mancha in Sonseca (Toledo) and Madridejos; Gas Natural Castille and León in Arapiles (Salamanca) and Garray (Soria); Gas Natural Andalusia in Marbella (Malaga) and Lucena (Córdoba); Gas Natural Cegas in El Campello (Alicante) and Sant Mateu (Castellón); Gas Galicia in Poio (Pontevedra) and Corcubión (Coruña) and the new Catalonian municipalities which will have this energy available from 2011, among which include San Salvador de Guardiola, La torre de Claramunt (both in Barcelona), Parlavá (Girona) and El Catllar (Tarragona), among others.
In February 2011, Gas Natural Fenosa purchased the gas distribution assets in the provinces of Toledo and Granada for Corporación Llorente. In Toledo, the assets include a 75.5 Km secondary transport pipeline, which joins Consuegra and Puebla de Montalbán, as well as a 13 Km distribution network.
In Granada, there is an 11.5 Km secondary transport pipeline that joins the town of Albolote and Pinos Puente.
Gas Natural Fenosa is continuing with its commitment to territorial expansion. For example, at the end of March it announced that it would build five new secondary transport pipelines in Catalonia in the coming years.
Another aspect of its activity that it continues to empower is training in collaboration with other entities. This includes the collaboration framework agreement signed on February 2011 with Conaif (a group of associations of gas installation companies, among others) in order to improve training for Spanish gas installation companies.
Gas Natural Fenosa has registered several different projects with the UNO as a clean development mechanism. This includes the Bajo Tuluá hydroelectric plant, in August, which will enable CO2 emissions to be reduced by 40,000 Tm annually.
In this field of the environment, the working day about the EU Mayors Covenant, held in Coruña, is also mentioned, in which strategies were implemented to promote energy efficiency and energy savings, going beyond the objectives of the EU policy in terms of reducing emissions.
It is also noted that Gas Natural Fenosa has continued to promote natural gas use in the automotive industry. Together with TMB (Transportes Metropolitanos de Barcelona) a new hybrid bus prototype was launched that has electric and natural gas motors. Also noted is the incorporation of new buses driven by natural gas motors in the TMB fleet.
In mid-July, it was discovered that Gas Natural Fenosa received the award for the construction and management of four natural gas vehicle stations (NGV) in Madrid.
Gas Natural Fenosa has the largest NGV supply station in Europe, which is located in Madrid. Throughout all of Spain it has 18 NGV supply stations, from which more than 300 GWh of this fuel is supplied, which is a basic vector for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In August, Gas Natural Fenosa incorporated Sonatrach into its shareholding, holding 3.85% of its shares. At the end of June, Gas Natural Fenosa organised a seminar in Argel about its success in the creation of companies.
Gas Natural Fenosa has been included on the FTSE4GOOD sustainability index for the tenth consecutive year.
In June, Gas Natural Fenosa finalised the transaction to transfer 304,000 supply points to the Madrileña gas network, in accordance with the fulfillment of the activities plan approved by the CNC, in relation to the Unión Fenosa purchase process. Madrileña Red de Gas was created in April 2010. It manages the natural gas distribution network for 42 municipalities in the Madrid Community and five districts in the capital. Madrileña Red de Gas has more than 5,000 Km of network with more than 820,000 customers and is the third largest distribution company in Spain by the number of supply points.
After summer, BBG (Bahía de Vizkaia Gas) commenced construction of its third LNG storage tank (150,000 m3 of LNG) in its own terminal located in Zierbena. The investment made was 97.5 million euros, LNG storage capacity was increased to 450,000 m3 and emission to 1,200,000 Nm3/h. The contract was signed in July 2011. The works will take 36 months to complete.
In 2011, a total of 42 ships unloaded 5.5 million cubic metres of LNG in this terminal.
Enagás has a shareholding in BBG (40%), the Basque Energy Board (30%) and the Deutsche Bank RREEF infrastructures fund.
On 1 December 2011, the Sagunto Regasification Plant, SAGGAS, launched the fourth LNG tank into operation, with a 150,000 m3 capacity. With the incorporation of this tank, the Sagunto regasification plant has a 600,000 m3 LNG storage capacity.
The Northwestern regasification plant, REGANOSA, achieved 21.7 TWh production in 2011 of which 3.86 was loaded on to ships for export, which was almost 50% of the total exported in LNG form in Spain in the past period. A total of 29 unloading operations were carried out in the terminal, with a total of 22.8 TWh unloaded.
The approval of the “New Safety Regulations for the entry, berthing, unberthing and exit of gas ships on the River Ferrol” is highlighted, which now allows the entry of large ships up to Q-flex.
In the transport area, it is noted that REGANOSA has obtained the authorisations required to undertake expansion projects of the positions and installation of regulation and measurement stations in As Pontes, Cerceda and Arteixo.
On 30.06.2011, the company Naturgas Energía Distribución, S.A.U. absorbed the company Grupo GAS Energía Distribución Cantabria by merger.
During 2011, the company transported 30,520.7 GWh of natural gas and LNG in the regional communities of the Basque Country, Asturias Principality, Cantabria, Castille and León, Catalonia, Extremadura, the Madrid Community and the Murcia Region.
In 2011, network investments were 24.760 million euros, with a total of 7,866 Km constructed at the end of the year. The arrival of gas to the town of Castropol is also noted, together with the inauguration of the Laredo facilities in Cantabria and the commencement of supply to the Nueva Montaña Industrial Estate in Santander.
As at 31 December, the company has 901,119 supply points connected to its distribution networks.
The arrival of gas to the town of Castropol is also noted, together with the inauguration of the Laredo La Puebla Vieja facilities in Cantabria and the commencement of supply to the Nueva Montaña Industrial Estate in Santander.
Gas Energía Distribución Murcia has transported 16,960.0 GWh of natural gas and LNG in 20 municipalities in the Murcia Region, through its 1,824 Km of distribution and secondary transport networks. It has also had the occasion to take gas to the Torrepacheco municipality. A total of 7.859 million euros was invested in networks during this year.
As at 31 December, the company has 92,427 supply points connected to its distribution and secondary transport networks.
Naturgas Energía Transporte formalised an agreement for Iberdrola’s acquisition of 50% of IGN. On 5 November 2011, the company absorbed Infraestructuras Gasistas de Navarra by merger.
A total of 7.282 million euros was invested in transport networks during 2011. As at 31 December, the company has 445.4 Km of transport networks.
Over the course of 2011, the Serinyá Figueres transport pipeline was inaugurated, the Corvera Tamón pipeline put into operation and administrative authorisation obtained, approval obtained for implementation of the project and acknowledgement of public utility for the construction of the Bilbao Treto plant pipeline.
Naturgas Energía Comercializadora-HC Energía, Grupo EDP, has an integrated network for the sale of electricity, gas and services in the entire territory, through which a complete portfolio of value-added services and advice is offered. Similarly, the offer is completed with energy efficiency services aimed at SMEs and large customers.
The Iberdrola Group is active in the areas of supply, logistics, trading and delivery to end customers within the natural gas sector.
Iberdrola manages a secure and competitive natural gas supply contract portfolio to meet customer demand. In 2011 supplies amounted to 6.9 bcm. This is growth of 18% with respect to 2010, essentially due to new imports in the Grain regasification plant (United Kingdom). The financial crisis and the new role that combined cycles have performed has led to a significant reduction in gas consumption in Spain, from its peak in 2008, to which the company is successfully adapting.
The company has managed 86 liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments over the 2011 period. They were shipped on methane tankers, ranging from 30,000 to 265,000 cubic metres in size, with delivery points at regasification plants in Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Huelva, Sagunto, and Sines on the Iberian Peninsula, in Grain (United Kingdom) and, for the first time, in Rotterdam (Holland), as well as other international locations.
The company also continued to supply gas to its wholesale, industrial, commercial and domestic customers located throughout the Peninsula. It also continued to maintain commercial operations with customers in France and Portugal.
On the international market, Iberdrola carried out various trading and optimisation operations from its gas supply portfolio with its LNG shipment sales to Europe and Asia Pacific. In this chapter, the most relevant component was establishing contracted capacity in the third stage of the Isle of Grain (United Kingdom) regasification terminal, providing direct access to the British gas market.
It is worth mentioning that during 2011, Iberdrola and the the multinational oil company BP signed a contract by means of which Iberdrola shall supply 0.5 bcm per year of LNG in Spain from January 2012, with a 10 year contract validity.
To conclude, Iberdrola is committed to a reliable gas system by exceeding the minimum natural gas safety requirements established under current legislation.
The platform for energy efficiency is an initiative that groups large companies, including Endesa and Cepsa, from different sectors, with the aim to foster energy efficiency through the promotion and development of activities aimed at energy savings and reducing the carbon footprint.
With the launch into operation of the Medgaz pipeline, Sonatrach Gas Comercializadora now imports natural gas as a priority through this pipeline. However, activity is maintained in the LNG spot market, which contributes to completing its supply portfolio. In 2011, purchase volumes were increased by 29%, maintaining the volume of sales to end customers, with a notable increase in sales volume to other marketers. As a result, its market share has increased to 16%.
In 2011, Sonatrach Gas Comercializadora commenced natural gas export to Portugal through the Tuy connection, maintaining exports through the other connection point in Badajoz.
Throughout the year, Endesa Gas Transportista (a part of the Endesa Group) maintained a high level of activity. This activity includes the 71 Km Linares-Úbeda-Villacarrillo pipeline in Jaén; the El Burgo de Ebro-La Puebla de Alfindén pipeline; from Ramal to Caspe; the Villanueva de la Torre-Almoguera pipeline; the Villanueva de la Torre-El Casar de Talamanca pipeline; the Otura-Escúzar and the Bárboles-Alagón-Sobradiel pipelines.
Transportista Regional del Gas, also a part of the Endesa Group, completed the Otero de Herrero-Ávila pipeline. This activity has completed the pipeline that joins the cities of Segovia and Ávila, connecting the latter Castilian city to the pipeline network. Ávila has had access to natural gas for years through an LNG satellite plant.
Among other activities the company is committed to is the construction of the Briviesca-Belorado pipeline.
Gas Extremadura Transportista has commenced construction on the Mérida-Don Benito-Miajadas pipeline, which 69 Km long and with a 12” diameter, with a significant impact on the territorial environment of the Extremadura Regional Community in which it operates. The Lobón-Montijo-Puebla de la Calzada pipeline is also noteworthy.
Gas Extremadura is a very territorially-limited distribution company, although it maintains a good growth rate. In 2011, the town of Montijo was incorporated into the Spanish gas network.
In 2011, Madrileña Red de Gas acquired 304,168 new supply points in the Madrid Community, which brought the company’s total number of supply points to more than 800,000 at the end of the year.
EGL Energía Ibérica maintained its gas purchase-sales activities with other marketing firms throughout 2011. In February and March gas was introduce through Larrau from France and in March the Benue ship was unloaded in the Huelva plant.
