While a stream of LNG cargoes is largely helping Europe maintain its tight natural gas supply balance, the region’s largest gas user, Germany, is increasing its reliance on Norwegian pipeline flows to fuel its industry until an alternative fuel market emerges.

Norway’s Equinor ASA has signed a letter of intent to supply German industrial gas users with 10 Bcm/year, or roughly one-third of the country’s industrial gas demand, through 2034 with an option for an additional five years. Equinor would deliver gas supply to Securing Energy for Europe GmbH (Sefe), a former German unit of Russia’s Gazprom that was placed under the control of Germany’s energy regulator last year.

Along with being the largest gas deal Equinor has signed since it commercialized volumes from