4. Infrastructure

The gas industry has expanded the gas infrastructure quite rapidly during the past 40 years. Today the pipeline system making up the European gas transmission grid stretches from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean and from the Atlantic to the pipeline system of the Russian Federation. The international grid ensures security of supplies and efficient gas transmission. Large amounts are needed each year to invest in the present infrastructure on maintenance, technical improvements and modernization.

The West European gas industry, in line with the conditions of an open market, provides important technology transfers and direct investments in the future development of the Central and Eastern European gas supply networks. Similar relations are being fostered with non-EU Mediterranean countries.

In order to diversify the security of natural gas supply for the European gas market and to meet the increasing demand, more interregional transmission pipelines from the Russian Federation (for instance the North-European gas pipeline project), North Africa, as well as Central Asia and the Middle East will be necessary.

At the same time, it is necessary to pay due attention to the reliability of the new gas suppliers to Europe. In addition, further development of the LNG infrastructure by the gas industry on the export side and on the receiving side in Europe can further improve the supply position of the European gas market. The IGU estimates that overall in the world in the period 2000-2030 the required investments for expanding markets, trade and infrastructure will be between 2 and 3 trillion dollars.
Until 2015 in Central and Western Europe some 100 billion dollars have to be invested in transport, storage and distribution¹¹ . In the Russian Federation alone investment in production and transportation during the coming 15 years will amount to some 150-170 billion dollars.