SUBSCRIBE
PROFILE

France: Equinor and Danske fined €12 million: Companies challenge CRE’s decision

The French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) has imposed a €12 million fine on Equinor and Danske Commodities for market manipulation during gas transport auctions. Equinor disputes the decision and has announced its intention to appeal.

Share:

Subscribe for unlimited access to all energy sector news.

Over 150 multisector articles and analyses every week.

Your 1st year at 99 $*

then 199 $/year

SUBSCRIBE — 99 $ for the 1st year

Create a free account to read this article

*renews at 199$/year, cancel anytime before renewal.

The French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) has announced a financial penalty against Norwegian group Equinor and its Danish subsidiary Danske Commodities. These companies are accused of manipulating annual auctions for gas transport capacities between France and Spain in 2019 and 2020.

A sanction for market rule violations

The Dispute Settlement and Sanctions Committee (CoRDiS) of the CRE fined Danske Commodities €8 million and Equinor €4 million. This decision is based on a violation of the European regulation on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency (REMIT).

According to the CRE, both companies placed extreme bids during the auctions: Danske Commodities requested the maximum capacity (82,286 kWh/h), while Equinor requested the minimum (1 kWh/h). This allocation led to the interconnection point being classified as “congested,” triggering a tariff mechanism that reduced the cost of intra-annual capacities, benefiting Danske.

Equinor rejects any accusations of collusion

Equinor immediately responded to the sanction through its Executive Vice President for Marketing, Irene Rummelhoff. “We disagree with the CRE’s decision that alleged collusion took place,” she stated in a press release.

The Norwegian group confirmed its intention to appeal the sanction before the French Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court. This challenge aims to contest the CoRDiS conclusions regarding an alleged concerted action between Equinor and Danske Commodities.

Impact on the gas market

This decision comes as European regulatory authorities intensify their scrutiny of market practices. The financial penalties against Equinor and Danske Commodities reflect an increased effort to prevent manipulations that could distort pricing and affect competition.

The natural gas sector, already facing geopolitical tensions and price volatility, may see further investigations in the future. The outcome of Equinor’s appeal will be closely monitored by market players, concerned about potential implications for auction rules and cross-border capacity management.

  • Popular on energynews.pro
Commonwealth Fusion Systems raises $863mn for its ARC fusion power plant
Mondi invests €120mn in biomass power plant in Slovakia to cut energy reliance
Avangrid invests $122 million in Meyer substation to strengthen interconnection
Bangladesh finalises memorandum with Aramco for LNG supply deals
NNPC Ltd keeps Port Harcourt refinery and focuses on rehabilitation
United States clears Rio Grande and Commonwealth LNG toward final decisions
U.S. regulators have approved two major milestones for Rio Grande LNG and Commonwealth LNG, clarifying their investment decision timelines and reinforcing the country’s role in expanding global liquefaction capacity.
Hokkaido Gas readies 2027: LNG tender and volumes
Hokkaido Gas is adjusting its liquefied natural gas procurement strategy with a multi-year tender and a long-term agreement, leveraging Ishikari’s capacity and price references used in the Asian market. —
KOGAS signs 3.3 mtpa of US LNG for ten years starting in 2028
Korea Gas Corporation commits to 3.3 mtpa of US LNG from 2028 for ten years, complementing new contracts to cover expired volumes and diversify supply sources and price indexation.
CTCI wins TWD29.6bn contract for LNG regasification unit at Kaohsiung
CTCI strengthens its position in Taiwan with a new EPC contract for a regasification unit at the Kaohsiung LNG terminal, with a capacity of 1,600 tonnes per hour.
Exxon expects 20% increase in global natural gas demand by 2050
Exxon Mobil forecasts sustained growth in global natural gas demand by 2050, driven by industrial use and rising energy needs in developing economies.
Capstone secures 5.8 MW order in Mexico with major food manufacturer
Capstone Green Energy received a 5.8-megawatt order for its natural gas microturbines, to be deployed across multiple food production facilities in Mexico through regional distributor DTC Machinery.
Harvest Midstream acquires MPLX gas assets in western US for $1bn
Private firm Harvest Midstream has signed a $1 billion acquisition deal with MPLX for gas processing and transport infrastructure across three western US states.
Sempra Infrastructure and EQT sign 20-year deal for Texan LNG supply
Sempra Infrastructure and EQT Corporation have signed a 20-year liquefied natural gas purchase agreement, consolidating Phase 2 of the Port Arthur LNG project in Texas and strengthening the United States’ position in the global LNG market.
Subsea7 secures offshore contract up to $1.25bn with TP-OTC in the Black Sea
Subsea7 was selected to lead phase 3 of the Sakarya gas field, a strategic contract for Türkiye’s energy supply valued between $750mn and $1.25bn.
Japan challenges China’s installation of 21 gas platforms in the East China Sea
Tokyo protests against Chinese installations deemed unilateral in a disputed maritime zone, despite a bilateral agreement stalled since 2010.
Bp awards Baker Hughes a 90-month contract for Tangguh LNG in Indonesia
Bp has awarded Baker Hughes a long-term service agreement for the Tangguh liquefied natural gas plant, covering spare parts, maintenance and technical support for its turbomachinery equipment.
Sinopec deploys 65,000 Sercel sensors for 3D seismic survey in Mexico
Chinese group Sinopec has launched a large-scale seismic imaging campaign across 3,000 km² in Mexico using nodal technology from Sercel, owned by Viridien, delivered in August to map areas with complex terrain.
CNOOC signs two gas exploration contracts in Indonesia with EnQuest and Agra
CNOOC Limited has signed two production sharing contracts with SKK Migas to explore the Gaea and Gaea II blocks in West Papua, alongside EnQuest and Agra.
AMIGO LNG signs 15-year deal with Macquarie for 0.6 MTPA of LNG
Australian group Macquarie partners with AMIGO LNG for an annual supply of 0.6 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas over fifteen years, with operations expected to start in 2028 from the Guaymas terminal in Mexico.
ONEOK and partners launch Eiger Express project to link Permian to Gulf
A consortium led by ONEOK is developing a 450-mile pipeline to transport up to 2.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day from the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast.
AMIGO LNG awards Drydocks World the construction of the world’s largest FLNG
AMIGO LNG has awarded Drydocks World a major EPC contract to build the world’s largest floating LNG liquefaction terminal, aimed at strengthening exports to Asia and Latin America.
Canadian Utilities secures AUC approval for Yellowhead gas pipeline project
The Alberta Utilities Commission approves the Need Assessment Application for the Yellowhead Pipeline, marking a key step for Canadian Utilities, a subsidiary of ATCO. The project foresees significant economic benefits for the province.
Nigeria LNG Signs 20-Year Deal to Secure 1.29 Billion Cubic Feet of Gas
Nigeria LNG signs major deals with oil groups to ensure gas supply to its liquefaction infrastructure over two decades.
The European Union seals a $750 billion deal on American energy
The European Union and Washington have finalized an agreement setting $750 billion in U.S. gas, oil and nuclear purchases, complemented by $600 billion in European investments in the United States by 2028.
Sempra and ConocoPhillips Strengthen Partnership on Port Arthur LNG Phase 2
Sempra Infrastructure and ConocoPhillips signed a 20-year LNG sales agreement for 4 Mtpa, confirming their joint commitment to expanding the Port Arthur LNG liquefaction terminal in Texas.

Log in to read this article

You'll also have access to a selection of our best content.

or

Go unlimited with our annual offer: $99 for the 1styear year, then $ 199/year.

SUBSCRIBE - €99