Gassco enters Nord Pool's carbon market (Lysaker, 29 July 2008) The gas transport operator Gassco signs up to trade carbon products at Nord Pool. Gassco AS is responsible as operator for transporting Norwegian gas to continental Europe and the UK through a 7,800-kilometre network of pipelines. The company carried 86.68 billion cubic metres of dry (sales) gas to the market in 2007, corresponding to about 15 per cent of European gas consumption. Gassco was established by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy on 14 May 2001 as a wholly state-owned limited company. It took over the operatorship for all gas transport from the Norwegian continental shelf on 1 January 2002. Brian Bjordal, Chief Executive Officer at Gassco, said: “Gassco already operates one of the most energy efficient gas transport systems in the world. Buying climate quotas is one of many actions that will contribute to environment efficiency and responsibility for our emissions.” Torger Lien, CEO Nord Pool ASA added: “We are very satisfied that Gassco chooses Nord Pool as their preferred carbon market place. As a pioneer of exchange traded carbon products, Nord Pool will also seek to extend the offering of carbon derivative products when the merger with NASDAQ OMX is completed later this year. ” Nord Pool ASA has now 417 legal counterparts in total as exchange members, clearing clients and representatives. In the carbon market Nord Pool has 133 counterparties. About Nord Pool ASA Nord Pool ASA is the world's largest power derivatives exchange and Europe's second largest carbon exchange for trade in EUAs and CERs. The company has more than 400 members from 20 countries across a wide range of energy producers and consumers, as well as financial institutions. Nord Pool ASA embraces the wholly-owned Nord Pool Clearing ASA and Nord Pool Consulting AS subsidiaries. It is jointly owned by the transmission system operators (TSOs) Svenska Kraftnät and Statnett. The company has offices in Lysaker (Oslo), Stockholm, Helsinki and Amsterdam. For more information, please visit http://www.nordpool.com www.nordpool.com . For further information, please contact: Torger Lien, president and CEO Nord Pool ASA, phone +47 67 52 80 70/+47 91 88 81 12 Lars Galtung, vice president corporate communications Nord Pool group, phone: +47 67 52 80 80/+47 98 21 48 12 Kjell Varlo Larsen, Communication Manager Gassco, phone +47 52 81 28 01