OUR MISSION
WestGass AS is an independent energy merchant based in Stavanger, Norway, specialising in natural gas and natural gas liquids.
With industry-leading expertise in optimising gas exports from the Norwegian Continental Shelf and a strong network in downstream markets, we are committed to providing upstream producers a bespoke, value-adding outlet for their gas.
LEADERSHIP
Founded in 2016 by a team with an average of over 20 years’ experience each in natural gas and NGL markets, we have a solid track record of ex-field purchases, marketing, trading & operations.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
ARNE ÅKERLUND
Arne brings 35 years commercial and technical experience in the oil and gas sector. Prior to WestGass, he held several senior leadership positions in Statoil including Chief Advisor, Natural Gas. In addition, he has broad experience from years with the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate and EoN.
JARLE MOLSTAD
With 15 years commercial and operational experience in the energy sector, Jarle has been responsible for the setup of complex operational systems and business related IT projects during his career at WebStudio and Statoil, where he also marketed natural gas.
KINAR KENT
An accomplished negotiator with over 10 years experience in commodity trading markets, Kinar comes with expert knowledge of the Norwegian Continental Shelf having successfully originated deals across the gas value chain from field to hub whilst working for Shell and Statoil.
NON-EXECUTIVE MEMBERS
PETER MELLBYE
Peter joined the Board of WestGass in 2017. He is a former member of the Statoil Executive Committee where he served as Head of Natural Gas. He currently holds several non-executive positions in companies in the oil, gas and energy sector including Wellesley Petroleum AS, Statkraft Energi AS and TechnipFMC plc.
WESTGASS IN BRIEF
Established in 2016 as a private, independent company with its headquarters in Stavanger, WestGass became an approved shipper in Gassled within 6 months.
Since then, we have been fully operational and transact with natural gas producers on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. We have sales contracts with investment grade companies across Europe and have a proven record in being a reliable off-taker of gas. Our core team has an average of 20 years industry experience across the value chain.
WestGass is a dynamic, straightforward company that upholds high standards. We believe businesses should be built on long term, honest relationships without unnecessary complexities. We focus on purchasing volumes produced by oil and gas companies that we can further market. Our in-depth understanding of the Norwegian Continental Shelf allows us to offer bespoke transaction structures to meet the needs of E&P companies. We have invested in robust operating systems to ensure operational excellence. By maintaining a lean organisation with specialised expertise, we speed up our decision process without compromising on the commercial and legal soundness of our agreements.
NATURAL GAS
WestGass’ expertise lies in the ability to source natural gas throughout the Norwegian Continental Shelf pipeline systems and bring it to the gas markets in North West Europe through a range of commercial solutions.
WHAT WE OFFER
We purchase natural gas volumes at producing fields and optimise its transportation through the complex Gassled pipeline system.
In order to ensure a smooth and seamless relationship, we reliably manage all dispatching operations from the point at which we take title to molecules. We schedule shipments and sell the NGL and condensate stream extracted from the rich gas at the relevant processing plants.
We are linked to all North West European gas hubs where we have a strong network of counterparties with whom we transact under master sale and purchase agreements.
EXPLORE WHAT WE DO
Rich gas is produced by offshore installations in a comingled stream of different gas components. In Norway, this gas feeds into a complex infrastructure called Gassled, which connects fields with processing plants, export terminals and various markets. Natural gas liquids get separated from methane at processing plants and the resulting dry gas volumes are exported by pipeline to European markets. The value of Norway’s gas exports in 2016 was approximately 170 billion NOK.
WestGass buys rich gas from the point of production at offshore fields. We handle all the associated operations and shipping required to export the volumes from Norway.
Natural gas meets more than 20 % of European energy demand, a quarter of which was supplied from Norway in 2016. Companies involved in the marketing and distribution of natural gas include oil & gas entities, trading organisations, energy producers, retail distributers and financial institutions. Gas is traded at interconnected market hubs, the largest in Europe being the NBP (United Kingdom) and the TTF (Netherlands).
WestGass sells gas to these and other liquid European markets. Our strong network of credible market players allows us to manage our risk exposure through bespoke pricing terms.
Natural gas liquids (NGLs) consist of heavier gas components (ethane, propane, butane, naphtha and condensate) that are typically shipped by vessels after processing onshore. NGLs can be blended into vehicle fuels, or used for cooking, heating and as feedstocks to the petrochemical industry. A total of 10 million tonnes of NGLs were exported from Gassled in 2016. The market for these commodities is global.
WestGass handles its NGLs through a variety of arrangements, namely sales or swaps by means of in-tank transfers at the processing plants or free on board deliveries.
The Gassled transportation system is unique as it provides shippers of dry gas direct access to several markets across North West Europe. In 2016, producers of Norwegian gas spent 27.4 billion NOK (15% of the total value of their gas exports) on capacity tariffs. Capacities are typically booked and paid for based on production forecasts, however actual usage fluctuates depending on daily gas production.
WestGass ensures reliable gas offtake with minimised transportation costs through active capacity management and successful booking strategies.
The European gas markets are made up of national hubs that are physically interlinked by pipelines and supported by storage facilities. The individual markets are characterised by short term price fluctuations and weather related regional demand that is predominantly supplied by pipeline deliveries from indigenous sources, Norway and Russia together with LNG from across the globe.
WestGass adds value to its gas by capturing geographical and time optimisation opportunities in these dynamic markets.
Natural gas production from fields varies twenty-four hours a day throughout the year. Operational excellence is paramount to keep the physical pipeline systems balanced and to avoid costly deferment of oil and gas production. Prompt and precise communication is required between producers, shippers, system operators and commercial counterparties.
WestGass has a team of highly skilled and experienced operators who are available 24/7 to monitor and react to any changes in its portfolio supply or demand.
OUR APPROACH
We are straightforward. We foster a culture based on integrity, professionalism and a pragmatic mindset which enables us to build honest long-term relationships.
We are dynamic. We operate in unpredictable energy markets. Our lean and efficient structure allows us to quickly develop innovative and collaborative solutions for our customers whilst managing risks throughout the value chain.
We uphold high standards. Competent and focussed, we maintain a strong attention to detail. We have confidence in our robust systems and pride ourselves in being an accountable and reliable partner.
RESPONSIBILITY
We operate in a prudent manner and focus on HSE.
Our operations are linked to physical handling of gas and we operate in accordance with the requirements of the system operators.
We conduct our business in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
We take pride in being aligned with applicable laws and regulations as well as relevant EU requirements related to the Natural Gas industry in Europe.
We value partnerships.
In our daily operations we honour the contractual obligations and seek mutual commercial benefits in our business relationships.
