As a consequence of the transposition of Directive No. 2003/55/EC, the Portuguese natural gas sector suffered a deep restructuring in 2006. Alongside the unbundling of the activities of transport, distribution and trading, the liberalisation of the trading activity to create a free market regime was one of the measures taken (supplier of last resort is, however, subject to regulation). There is no domestic production of natural gas.
Natural gas enters the Portuguese territory through the Campo Maior gas pipeline, more specifically through the international interconnections, or through the Sines Terminal. Natural gas is then transported by high-pressure gas pipelines that run from Leiria-Braga, Leiria-Campo Maior, Setúbal-Leira, Sines-Setúbal, Braga-Tuy, Portalegre-Guarda, and Coimbra-Viseu. In total, there are 1,248km of gas pipelines. During 2009 4.68bcm (billion cubic metres) of gas were transported through the national network (Regulatory Entity for Energy Services’ Annual Report for the European Commission).
PACHECO, Mónica Carneiro; APOLINÁRIO, Marisa, “Portugal”, Gas Regulation in 34 jurisdictions worldwide, Law Business Research ltd., 2010, páginas 158-163
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