It controls 20 percent of the world's natural gas reserves and operates the world's largest gas distribution network -- approximately 157, 000 kilometers of pipelines covering an area from Europe to the Far East, according to its Web site.

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At a minimum, Turkey and Egypt will be at a relative disadvantage, as Israel pursues a natural gas production zone not tied to the distribution network of the former and ultimately will reduce imports from the latter.

FORBES

As the infrastructure and distribution network develops, we see more customers switching to natural gas, which will eventually help the companies attain sustainable profits out of shale gas drilling as the natural gas prices rise.

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And Bord Gais also owns the gas transmission pipelines to the northwest and south which are not affected, but the distribution network to the 10 towns feeding off those pipelines is part of the likely sale.

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The proposals would also enable the gas distribution companies to connect around 80, 000 "poor fuel households" to the gas network for the first time, and pay for carbon monoxide awareness programmes.

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