Gas pipeline to begin operations

Version 0 of 1.

Engineers are set to begin routing commercial gas supplies from Norway into the UK grid through the world's longest underwater pipeline.

It is hoped the Langeled pipeline will provide a fifth of the UK's peak winter fuel demand over the next four decades.

The 746 miles (1,200km) link connects Nyhamna to Easington in East Yorkshire.

It will eventually stretch to Ormen Lange, the largest gas field under development on the Norwegian continental shelf.

The pipeline's construction, which began in 2004, has been one of the most challenging engineering endeavours to date.

The pipeline will pump gas to Easington, where it will enter the National Grid's transmission network.

Commercial deliveries through the southern leg of Langeled from the Sleipner gas processing platform are set to begin on 1 October.

The Â£1.7bn project has been backed by Centrica and energy giants Statoil, Norsk Hydro, Royal DutchShell and ConocoPhillips.

It is hoped the pipeline will ease concerns over dwindling supplies which have sent gas prices in the UK soaring over the last two years.