ENTSOG GRIP SNC 2014-2023

\\ Security of Supply. Regulation 994/2010 (SoS Regulation) clearly recognises the importance of reverse flow in enhancing European SoS, prescribing bidirec- tional pipelines for each cross-border interconnection between member states as a general rule. Reverse flow infrastructure increases the flexibility of the Eu- ropean grid, permitting quick physical responses to cover energy needs arising from stressed or emergency situations. Additionally, reverse flow projects per- form this task in the most effective way because – "time-wise speaking" – they become available earlier to face possible emergency conditions, since faster permitting and usually shorter realisation phases can ensure earlier commissioning. \\ Sustainability. Avoiding the laying of additional pipes is bringing several "green" positive externalities: in terms of avoided CO ² emissions linked to pipeline production and laying (e.g. steel production and transportation, construction and following O&M activities etc.) as well as more general environmental impacts in terms of landing preservation benefits, since the track used for re- verse flow purposes is the same already exploited for the prevailing flows. All the above mentioned benefits have been recognised in granting South-North Corridor projects the PCI status and demonstrate that this infrastructure is a neces- sary and cost-effective missing link for the completion of the internal gas market.

6.5 Odorisation

As a consequence of the planned bidirectionality on the Transitgas system, new flow patterns can occur in the future, additional to the ones possible today. The conceivable combination of a flow from France to Switzerland at the Oltingue IP and a reversed flow from Switzerland to Germany at Wallbach might be one of them. This could be a problem as in France the odorisation process is centralised upon entry into the system while in Germany no odorised gas is accepted at the entries. As there is currently no formal plan in France to avoid odorised gas flowing from France into the Transitgas system, the installation of a de-odorisation plant would be required in order to avoid odorised gas flowing into Germany. Gas in Switzerland and gas entering into Italy is a mix of gas, coming from Germany (non-odorised) and coming from France (odorised), which has never created prob- lems until now in terms of interoperability of the interconnected systems (France – Switzerland and Italy). Two solutions are under study to prevent possible THT-odorant quantities entering into Germany thereby not respecting current German specifications. On the one hand the construction of a de-odorisation plant by Fluxys TENP with a final invest- ment decision expected in 2015. Studies are on-going to evaluate which THT remov- al technology provides the best results from a technical and economical perspective, with the next stage being pilot plant level testing. On the other hand, on a wider time horizon, GRTgaz has launched studies to evalu- ate the impact of a change of odorisation practices on its network, from centralised to de-centralised odorisation. The first exchanges with the national stakeholders showed the need for a wide-ranging consultation in order to weigh up the impacts of the harmonisation process. To this effect, GRTgaz will launch the construction of pilot facilities with the assistance of a distribution network operator.

South-North Corridor GRIP 2014–2023 |

71