Greece’s Motor Oil is looking to import liquefied natural gas in the future from UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (Adnoc) via its planned Dioriga Gas FSRU in the Gulf of Corinth.
Motor Oil said in a statement that its unit Motor Oil Renewable Energy or More, developer of the FSRU project, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Adnoc as well with Masdar to work on new investment possibilities and potential opportunities in Greece.
Under the deal with Masdar, the two firms will work on joint renewable energy projects, including electricity generation and energy storage. The duo will also look to develop offshore wind farms in Greece.
In addition, Adnoc and More “wish to explore potential opportunities of active collaboration in the upcoming FSRU terminal of Dioriga Gas at the region of Agioi Theodori,” Motor Oil said.
This includes the supply of LNG cargoes in Greece, the firm said, but it did not provide any additional information.
LNG capacity boost
Adnoc is looking to double its LNG production capacity from 6 to 12 million tons per annum, as part of a $127 billion capital spending plan for 2022-2026.
Adnoc LNG, a joint venture in which the UAE giant has a 70 percent stake, currently produces about 6 mtpa of LNG from its facilities on Das Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi.
Also, Adnoc is also reportedly planning to build a large LNG export facility at Fujairah, located on the Gulf of Oman.
Greek FSRU plans
Dioriga Gas, a unit of Motor Oil, said earlier this year that fifteen firms had shown interest in booking capacity at its planned FSRU-based import project, following a non-binding market test.
The 4 Bcm terminal would be located about 70 km from Athens, in the area of Agioi Theodori, near Motor Oil’s refinery.
Dioriga Gas says the FSRU would have a maximum storage capacity of up to 210,000 cbm and it would connect to a jetty about 150 meters from the coast.
Greece currently imports LNG via DESFA’s import terminal located on the island of Revithoussa.
However, the country will get new facilities as Europe looks to reduce reliance on Russian gas.
Greece’s Gastrade recently officially started building the country’s first FSRU-based project in Alexandroupolis.
Gastrade is also planning to install a second FSRU offshore Alexandroupolis and it won a license for this project.
Besides these developments and the Dioriga Gas FSRU, Greece’s Mediterranean Gas, the developer of an FSRU-based import project which includes ExxonMobil, recently received approval for its planned development in the port of Volos.
In addition, Elpedison, a power firm owned by Greece’s Hellenic Petroleum and Italy’s Edison, recently revealed plans to install an FSRU off Thessaloniki.
