International

摘要

The Balgzand-Bacton Line (BBL) — the first pipeline to link the Netherlands and the United Kingdom — beggn supplying gas from the Dutch mainland to the UK Dec. 1. With capacity of 1.75 million cubic meters per hour, the submarine pipeline is able to transport approximately 15 billion cubic meters of gas annually. The BBL allows the UK to import a higher volume of natural gas from the European continent. Increased demand coupled with a steep decline in domestic production has made the UK more dependent on imported gas. At the end of last year, the UK even experienced a threatened gas shortage. Annual consumption is 100 bcm. The BBL will account for 15% of the UK's gas requirement.