In 2008, GasTerra exported 50.9 billion m³ of natural gas. This is almost the same as 2007 (50.4 billion m³). This corresponds to 61 per cent of the total sales for 2008; this proportion corresponded to 65 per cent in 2007. Exported volume largely concerns sales under long-term contracts.
In 2008, GasTerra extended existing supply agreements with a number of foreign energy companies, and, in so doing, increased and extended contractual volumes of natural gas being exported from the Netherlands. With actions such as this, GasTerra continues to contribute to the stability of the energy supply in north-western Europe.
After long and intensive negotiations with regard to price and volume, GasTerra and E.ON Ruhrgas successfully concluded the renegotiations begun in 2005. During the year, the company made a start on the regular, periodic renegotiations of a number of other export contracts. A number of these have now been completed.
From the EU perspective, new oil and gas sources tend to be located at ever greater distances. These new oil and gas sources are also in geologically inconvenient and, from an environmental viewpoint, vulnerable regions. The conflict between Russia and the Ukraine occurring towards the end of 2008 has also shown that geopolitical aspects and relationships between countries must also be added to this complex of influential factors. The gas supply to some EU member states was interrupted as a result of this conflict. As a result of this stagnation, GasTerra received requests from a number of EU member states for the provision of temporary assistance to mitigate the effects of a breakdown in Russian gas deliveries.
