Commerce

The following companies will transport gas through the BBL:

• GasTerra (Netherlands)
• E.On Ruhrgas (Germany)
• Wingas (Germany)

Initial access was offered to the BBL on the basis of an 'open season' for capacity rights. The registration period for this open season ran from March to May of 2003. Any shipper wishing to contract capacity in the BBL project was invited to express interest during the registration period. Interested parties came from Norway, Denmark, Belgium, UK, France, Germany and The Netherlands. These contracts defined the size of the pipeline as 36".

The contracted capacity in the BBL is freely tradable, and BBL Company facilitates this by means of a bulletin board. Additionally, access to the BBL will be possible on the basis of interruptible capacity, the terms and conditions which are developed by BBL Company.

Some more capacity is available in the first year of operation. That is because the supplies of E.On Ruhrgas and Wingas cannot begin until the necessary adjustments to Gasunie's existing network have been completed. BBL Company offered this temporarily available capacity to interested parties on a non-discriminatory and transparent basis. At this moment capacity is still available.