NetConnect Germany GmbH & Co. KG (NCG) is one of two German market areas. It is based in Ratingen. It performs the duties of the Market Area Manager and constitutes one of the two German market areas (NCG).

The network connection comprises the network connection system, the network connection pipeline and the network point (in the form of a network coupling point or a network connection point).

A network connection contract is concluded between a gas transmission system operator and a final consumer connected to its network. It contains among other things provisions regarding the property boundary, the exchanging of information, capacity, the allocation procedure and liability.

The network connection point marks the property boundary between the network operator and the final consumer.

A network coupling contract is concluded between two neighboring gas network operators. It contains, among other things, provisions regarding the property boundary, the exchanging of information, capacity, the allocation procedure and liability.

The location where two gas networks are connected physically (usually by a gas pressure regulation and measuring system) is referred to as a network coupling point. The network coupling point marks the property boundary between two neighboring network operators.

The location where two gas networks are connected physically (usually by a gas pressure regulation and measuring system) is referred to as a network coupling point.

The German Energy Management Act requires the pipeline network operators to produce a joint Germany-wide Network Development Plan (NDP) every year. The plan must contain details of all effective network-related measures which are required over the next ten years in order to ensure safe and reliable network operation. These include measures for needs-based optimization, the needs-based upgrading and development of the network and measures for guaranteeing supply security.

A network point is a physical point in a network to which further networks (see network coupling point), producers, gas storage facilities or consumers (see network connection point) are connected. The term can apply to a network connection point and a network coupling point.

Software-supported network simulation is used to calculate flow statuses in the gas network. The flow statuses are calculated in a transient manner, in other words, the permanent changes in the flows are taken into account correctly.

The input data for the simulation are schedules at the network points, gas qualities, gas temperatures, pressure values and the complete geometry of the network segments (including pipe lengths, diameters, roughness). Depending on the type of simulation, these are either measured data or values from the forecast and the quantity and operational planning (dispatching).

As a result, the simulation can be used in various contexts:

• Process-related simulation for calculating the current network status
• Predictive simulation variants

In addition to ensuring the reliable transport of gas, the transmission system operator must also ensure network stability, in other words, ensure that all customers receive the assured quantities. In order to do this, a specific minimum gas content must be retained in the relevant pipeline sections in order to maintain the prescribed pressures.

With high transport volumes, the minimum content in a pipeline is greater than with low transport volumes owing to the higher pressure. The difference between the maximum and minimum content is expressed in a pipeline’s buffer volume. During day-to-day business, this gas is needed to compensate for the fluctuations in the quantities of gas released and sourced. It serves as a reserve in the event of supply problems. 

A nomination informs the network operator about the extent to which a transport contract is to be used for a specific time period. The gas network operator controls the gas flows in its network on the basis of nominations. If a nomination is changed, this is referred to as a renomination.

With the so-called matching process, neighboring network operators compare nominations on both sides of a network point. If there are nominations on an equal level on both sides of a network point, a corresponding gas flow will be controlled at the relevant network point. If there are nominations on different levels at both sides of the network point, the lower value will be taken into account when controlling the gas flow.