(Adds Equinor comment)
By Nora Buli
TROLL A PLATFORM, North Sea, March 17 (Reuters) -
N orway's Equinor will join the European Union's joint
scheme for gas procurement as a supplier, with the aim of
signing more long-term contracts, European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.
EU countries, as well as Ukraine, are planning to buy gas
together in a bid to improve security of energy supply. The
first contracts are expected to be signed this summer.
"We are happy that Equinor will join (the scheme) as a
supplier," von der Leyen told reporters during a visit to a
North Sea gas platform.
"The goal is that we have more long-term contracts," she
said, adding the terms of agreements would be up to the
companies involved.
Equinor, which has become Europe's largest gas supplier
following a drop in flows from Russia's Gazprom , said
it "has always been open to enter into bilateral gas sales
agreements" and still is.
"We have previously said that we understand that the EU want
to establish the EU Energy Platform as a time-limited measure to
ensure storage filling before next winter," Equinor said in an
emailed statement to Reuters.
The Norwegian energy minister has previously said he does
not fear Europe's joint gas platform would become a buyers'
cartel that would disadvantage Norway as a supplier.
The Nordic country has been seeking assurances from the EU
that the bloc would buy its gas over the long term so it has an
incentive to maintain production.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
UPDATE 3-In show of unity, NATO and EU heads visit North Sea gas
platform EXPLAINER-How does Norway export its natural gas? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
(Reporting by Nora Buli on the Troll A platform in the North
Sea
Additional reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo
Writing by Gwladys Fouche
Editing by Terje Solsvik and Mark Potter)
Twitter handle: @gfouche))
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.