Dutch gas transmission network operator Gasunie is now hoping to complete maintenance work at its new LNG import hub in the Dutch port of Eemshaven this week.
The new terminal with a capacity of about 8 bcm per year started delivering regasified LNG to the Dutch grid in September in record time.
It features two chartered FSRUs and they include Exmar’s 26,000-cbm barge-based FSRU Eemshaven LNG and the 170,000-cbm Energos Igloo, previously known as Golar Igloo. A joint venture of asset manager Apollo and US LNG firm NFE owns Energos Igloo.
Gasunie’s unit and the terminal operator, EemsEnergyTerminal, started maintenance work at the facility on November 22 and previously expected it to last until November 29.
Last week, a Gasunie spokeswoman told LNG Prime that the company had completed the connection between the two chartered FSRUs and that work was continuing on the heat connection.
The state-owned company hoped to complete this work by December 11. However it took more time than expected.
“This work is now expected to be completed by December 13 – 15,” the spokeswoman told LNG Prime late on Monday.
Full production by January
The Eemshaven LNG hub should welcome the next carrier on December 17, according to the spokeswoman.
Also, the spokeswoman said that Gasunie still expects the terminal to reach full production by January.
Gasunie has been quite busy this year regarding new LNG regasification infrastructure as the Netherlands and other European countries such as Germany look to replace Russian pipeline gas supplies.
The company is now studying to further expand the existing LNG facilities in Eemshaven and in Rotterdam (Gate) on the basis of technical optimizations, it said in a statement on Monday.
Besides the existing facilities, the firm is working on a new FSRU-based facility at the port of Terneuzen.