Gasunie to halt Eemshaven LNG sendout until January 30

Dutch gas grid and LNG terminal operator, Gasunie, said it would stop natural gas sendout to the grid from its import hub in the port of Eemshaven due to issues with the heat connection.

The new terminal with a capacity of about 8 bcm per year has started delivering regasified LNG to the Dutch grid in September and has up to date received eleven cargoes.

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.

Following the launch in September, Gasunie’s unit and the terminal operator, EemsEnergyTerminal, performed maintenance work at the facility during November and December.

During the shutdown, the company completed the connection between the two chartered FSRUs and finalized laying of the heat connection.

“Unfortunately, due to a failure at RWE, we are temporarily unable to use the heat connection. In this period of the year, we need this heat connection (sea water is too cold),” a Gasunie spokeswoman told LNG Prime on Friday.

“As a result, there will be no dispatch between January 13-30,” the spokeswoman said.

Full capacity in February

Gasunie expects the terminal to resume regasification activities at the end of January and to reach full capacity by the end of February, the spokeswoman said, adding that the schedule may change depending on the progress of the repairs.

Shell previously booked 4 bcm while Czech utility CEZ took 3 bcm of the Eemshaven terminal’s total capacity. France’s Engie secured the remaining 1 bcm of capacity at the terminal operated by Gasunie.

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 firm is now studying to further expand the existing LNG facilities in Eemshaven and in Rotterdam (Gate) on the basis of technical optimizations, it said last month.

Besides the existing facilities, the firm is working on a new FSRU-based facility at the port of Terneuzen.

Most Popular

Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG to commission fourth tank

US LNG exporter Venture Global LNG has received approval from the US FERC to commission the fourth storage tank with LNG at its Plaquemines plant in Louisiana.

Worley gets full notice to proceed on first phase of CP2 LNG project

Australian engineering firm Worley has received a full notice to proceed from US LNG exporter Venture Global LNG under its reimbursable EPC contract for the first phase of the CP2 LNG project in Louisiana.

US FERC issues final SEIS for NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG project

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has released a final supplemental environmental impact statement for NextDecade's Rio Grande LNG facility and the accompanying pipeline in Texas. FERC continues to conclude that approval of the projects would result in "less than significant impacts."

More News Like This

Netherlands was top destination for US LNG cargoes in May

Dutch Gate and Eemshaven LNG terminals were the top destinations for US liquefied natural gas cargoes in May, according to the Department of Energy’s LNG monthly report.

Dutch Eemshaven LNG terminal boosts volumes in H1

The FSRU-based LNG import facility in the Dutch port of Eemshaven, owned by Gasunie and Vopak, received more LNG in the first half of this year compared to last year, with most of the supplies coming from the US.

Gasunie awards contract for German gas pipeline

A unit of Dutch gas grid and LNG terminal operator Gasunie has awarded a contract for the ETL 182 pipeline, which is expected to meet the anticipated rise in gas transport demand driven by LNG terminals in Brunsbüttel and Stade.

Construction moving forward on German LNG terminal

Dutch gas grid operator Gasunie and German energy firm RWE are moving forward with the construction of the German government-backed onshore LNG import terminal in Brunsbüttel.