CHAPTER-8
Europipe II: Early Consultation and Selection
of Environmentally Good Alternatives Pay Off
Steinar Eld0Y
8.1
Introduction
The planning of a new Europipe II gas pipeline from Norway to Germany started in late
1995, with three possible starting points: the troll gas terminal at Kollsnes outside Bergen,
the Karst0 gas terminal in Rogaland (in the south-western part of Norway), or the
Sleipner platform in the Norwegian part of the North Sea (Fig. 8.1). According to Norwegian environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations both in the Petroleum Act
and the Planning and Building Act, an EIA was prepared, comparing the different alternative pipeline solutions. In June 1996 the Norwegian parliament approved a plan for
developing a major oil and gas field outside the central part of Norway, the Asgard
field, and decided that the gas should be brought onshore to Karst0 for processing. This
also implied that Karst0 would be the starting point for a new Europipe II pipeline
from Norway to Germany.
The construction of Europipe I was completed in 1994, and the pipeline was put into
operation in October 1995. Europipe I was a major challenge both from an environmental and a technical point of view, with the landfall in Germany crossing the Lower
Saxony Wadden Sea National Park being the most difficult part. The environmental
challenges of Europipe II are quite different from those of Europipe I in Germany, but
still there are similarities, and experience from Europipe I has been useful during the
planning process. One of the lessons learned from the Europipe I project was that the
EIA process should be initiated at an early stage, and should be fully integrated in the
project development. This was implemented in the Europipe II project, and, as demonstrated below, this approach has contributed to finding a solution which both minimises conflicts with environmental and fishery interests and at the same time is an
economically good solution.
8.2
Alternative Pipeline Routes
For Karst0 as a starting point for Europipe II, three different pipeline routes were evaluated from a technical, economic and environmental point of view (Fig. 8.2). The main
alternative was to cross several islands in the municipality of Bokn, the largest called
Vestre Bokn, and then continue southwards, west of a group of several small islands
called Kvits0Y. The second alternative considered was to lay the pipeline parallel to the
existing pipeline corridor from Karst0 to Kalst0 at the island of Karm0Y, and then continue southwards, west of Karm0Y. This alternative would imply using existing pipeline
tunnels for fjord crossings. The third alternative considered was to lay the pipeline in
Europipe II: Early Consultation and Selection
of Environmentally Good Alternatives Pay Off
Steinar Eld0Y
8.1
Introduction
The planning of a new Europipe II gas pipeline from Norway to Germany started in late
1995, with three possible starting points: the troll gas terminal at Kollsnes outside Bergen,
the Karst0 gas terminal in Rogaland (in the south-western part of Norway), or the
Sleipner platform in the Norwegian part of the North Sea (Fig. 8.1). According to Norwegian environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations both in the Petroleum Act
and the Planning and Building Act, an EIA was prepared, comparing the different alternative pipeline solutions. In June 1996 the Norwegian parliament approved a plan for
developing a major oil and gas field outside the central part of Norway, the Asgard
field, and decided that the gas should be brought onshore to Karst0 for processing. This
also implied that Karst0 would be the starting point for a new Europipe II pipeline
from Norway to Germany.
The construction of Europipe I was completed in 1994, and the pipeline was put into
operation in October 1995. Europipe I was a major challenge both from an environmental and a technical point of view, with the landfall in Germany crossing the Lower
Saxony Wadden Sea National Park being the most difficult part. The environmental
challenges of Europipe II are quite different from those of Europipe I in Germany, but
still there are similarities, and experience from Europipe I has been useful during the
planning process. One of the lessons learned from the Europipe I project was that the
EIA process should be initiated at an early stage, and should be fully integrated in the
project development. This was implemented in the Europipe II project, and, as demonstrated below, this approach has contributed to finding a solution which both minimises conflicts with environmental and fishery interests and at the same time is an
economically good solution.
8.2
Alternative Pipeline Routes
For Karst0 as a starting point for Europipe II, three different pipeline routes were evaluated from a technical, economic and environmental point of view (Fig. 8.2). The main
alternative was to cross several islands in the municipality of Bokn, the largest called
Vestre Bokn, and then continue southwards, west of a group of several small islands
called Kvits0Y. The second alternative considered was to lay the pipeline parallel to the
existing pipeline corridor from Karst0 to Kalst0 at the island of Karm0Y, and then continue southwards, west of Karm0Y. This alternative would imply using existing pipeline
tunnels for fjord crossings. The third alternative considered was to lay the pipeline in