Nitrogen report

The total quantity of nitrogen is subdivided into three categories:

1. Firm baseload nitrogen. All available nitrogen in this category can be used without restriction.
2. Non-firm baseload nitrogen. For this category nitrogen it is not possible to predict whether it can be used at any desired time. This depends on various gas transport technical factors. Once it is certain that the nitrogen in this capacity cannot be used, it is reported as unavailable via REMIT notifications. When it is available is can be used without restriction.
3. Firm nitrogen (Volume Restricted). The nitrogen in this category comes from a nitrogen storage. So long as there is enough disposable volume in the storage, the available nitrogen in this category can be used without restriction. As soon as the storage is empty, this category is reported as not available via a REMIT report. Detailed information about the nitrogen storage can be found on the Nitrogen storage report.

Remarks:

• Part of the total amount of nitrogen available (887.000 m3(n)/h) is regarded as reserve capacity to cope with minor failures/faults in conversion resources.
• The actual use of nitrogen does not have to take place in the order indicated above. Which nitrogen is used at which installation depends on various gas transport factors and optimisations in the gas transport system.

Maintenance and long-term faults in GTS conversion installations and nitrogen production often mean that less nitrogen is available for conversion (see maintenance calendar). Acute and short-term faults also lead to a decrease in the availability of nitrogen.

REMIT reports will be submitted to indicate a change in the availability of nitrogen as soon as this change occurs.

In the past the “Planned nitrogen volume” and “utilisation rate” was showed. This was the amount of nitrogen which was used in different studies and which amount always had to be available. This methodology is no longer used. The current values are no longer visible in the nitrogen meter. Also the (historical) data can no longer be retrieved in the nitrogen report. If desired, historical information can be requested from GTS.

The Nitrogen meter shows the status of the available amount of nitrogen and the nitrogen use of the last available hour (in m3(n)/h). The Nitrogen meter scale runs from zero (bottom left) to the maximum amount of nitrogen available (887.000 m3(n)/h, bottom right).  This scale contains four colours. A green section on the left, if nitrogen use is in this section normal nitrogen is being used. There may be a black section on the right, this is the total amount of unavailable nitrogen. There is an orange section and a red section in the middle. The orange section indicates when a REMIT warning is sent, see below. The red section shows the reserve nitrogen capacity (also a REMIT is sent, see below) .  A black pointer on this scale shows the actual use. Underneath the meter the amount of used nitrogen is shown.

The Nitrogen graph shows the amount of nitrogen available and nitrogen use per hour in the past 14 days (in m3(n)/h). The maximum amount of nitrogen that can be used is shown per category in three shades of grey. The yellow line shows the actual amount of nitrogen used. The orange and red dotted lines have the same meaning as the orange and red section described above at the Nitrogen meter.

The Nitrogen report gives the maximum volumes of nitrogen available and the volumes of actual nitrogen use (in m3(n)). Users can choose among various aggregations (hour, day, month, calendar year and gas year) and various periods.

When the available nitrogen capacity is nearing full utilization, bringing the upper QC limit into view, the market will be informed through a REMIT notification. The following escalation levels apply:

• Orange zone: approaching QC limit
  When nitrogen usage reaches the orange zone (see Nitrogen meter), an early warning will be published indicating that the upper QC limit is approaching. Market parties will be requested to adjust their G-gas/H-gas balance with the aim of reducing nitrogen usage, while continuing to steer towards their POS.

• Red zone: QC limit reached
  When nitrogen usage reaches the red zone (see Nitrogen meter), a notification will be published stating that the upper QC limit has been reached, nitrogen reserve capacity is being used and GTS may instruct market parties to adjust their G-gas/H-gas balance in order to reduce nitrogen usage. This instruction may require reducing exit nominations for G-gas storage injection, potentially to zero. Market parties should continue to steer towards their POS.

When the available nitrogen capacity is nearing the lower QC limit, the market will be informed through a REMIT notification. The following escalation levels apply:

• Orange zone: QC limit approaching
  When nitrogen usage reaches the orange zone (see Nitrogen meter), an early warning will be published indicating that the lower QC limit is approaching. Market parties will be requested to adjust their G-gas/H-gas balance to increase nitrogen usage, while continuing to steer towards their POS.

• Red zone: QC limit reached
  When nitrogen usage reaches the red zone (see Nitrogen meter), a notification will be published stating that the lower QC limit has been reached. GTS may instruct market parties to adjust their G-gas/H-gas balance in order to increase nitrogen usage. This instruction may require reducing entry nominations from G-gas storage facilities, potentially to zero. Market parties should continue to steer towards their POS.