Changing French gas industry. Part 2
The changeover of the French gas industry to a semi-integrated national natural gas industry is a result of the exploitation of Lacq reserves and the increasing importation of natural gas from The Netherlands and LNG from Algeria. Gas was able to increase its share of the energy market from 0.4% in 1955 to 6.2% in 1968. The total length of pipeline and distribution networks increased from 29,200 mile (47,170 km) in 1953 to 47,000 mile (76,000 km) in 1969. Natural gas's share of total gas supply has grown from about 14% in 1955 to 69% in 1966 and 85% in 1969. Gaz de France's gas sales have jumped from 47 trillion Btu (11.9 billion thermies) in 1955 to 158 trillion Btu (39.7 billion thermies) in 1969. With the approaching depletion of the Lacq natural gas reserves and a rising demand for gas, Gaz de France sought supplemental supply sources and succeeded in securing contracts for importing LNG from Algeria and natural gas from the Dutch Groningen field. To balance load factor variations, Gaz de France is using a number of underground storage fields. The future outlook is for the number of gas customers to increase from 6 million in 1958 and 7.4 million in 1968 to 9 million by 1975. Gas demand (excluding that for power generation) is estimated to grow to 595 trillion Btu (150 billion thermies) in 1975, 835 trillion Btu (210 billion thermies) in 1980, and 1.09 quadrillion Btu (275 billion thermies) in 1985.
- OSTI ID:
- 6430766
- Journal Information:
- Energy Pipelines Syst.; (United States), Journal Name: Energy Pipelines Syst.; (United States) Vol. 1; ISSN EYPSB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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030600* -- Natural Gas-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
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ECONOMICS
ENERGY DEMAND
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SUPPLIES
EUROPE
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
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FUEL GAS
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INDUSTRY
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