Natural Gas Transmission News

Maritime Developments (MDL) has assisted Saipem in progressing an LNG project offshore Greece, which included work on the connection of Gastrade’s Alexandroupolis floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) to the country’s gas transmission system.The project consisted of a FSRU and a mooring and pipeline system, connecting the floating unit to the Greek National Natural Gas Transmission System (NNGTS).An MDL flex-lay spread was used for the installation of two flexible risers…

A.P. Moller-Maersk's towage arm Svitzer announced it has signed a 15-year agreement to service Gastrade’s Alexandroupolis Independent Natural Gas System (Alexandroupolis INGS) LNG terminal—the first offshore LNG project in Greece—set to become operational in the beginning of 2024. The project marks Svitzer’s entry into the Greek market.Svitzer will set up towage services and support for LNG operations at the new import terminal, including support for a floating storage regasification…

Work has begun to develop Greece’s first Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) at the Keppel shipyard in Singapore, with the conversion of GasLog’s DNV classed LNGC Gaslog Chelsea, recently renamed Alexandroupoli.Following conversion, FSRU Alexandroupoli will serve as an offshore storage and regasification facility and will be part of the Alexandroupolis Independent Natural Gas System (INGS). The 155,000-cbm LNG carrier, recently reflagged to the Greek flag, is the first FSRU conversion under the Greek Flag for operation in the Aegean Sea.

U.S.-based LNG company Excelerate Energy and a subsidiary of Gasgrid Finland, a Finnish state-owned natural gas transmission system operator, on Friday signed a ten-year deal in Helsinki for the charter of a floating storage and regasification vessel (FSRU) that they said would provide "flexible, reliable, and secure" supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Finland, Estonia, and the Baltic Sea Region.Excelerate President and CEO Steven Kobos, Gasgrid Finland CEO Olli Sipilä,…

The kick-off ceremony for the realization of Gastrade SA's LNG FSRU facility in Alexandroupolis, Greece, was held on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in the old Storage House of the Alexandroupolis Port Customs.Once delivered, the FSRU, with a capacity of 153,500 c.m. of LNG, will be moored in the offshore area 17.6 km southwest of the port of Alexandroupolis. It will be connected to the National Natural Gas Transmission System (NNGΤS) of Greece with a 28 km long pipeline, through which the gasified LNG will be transmitted to the markets of Greece…

Gasum is searching for a new CEO to replace Johanna Lamminen, who has resigned. The company's board of directors has appointed Kai Laitinen, Gasum's current CFO, as interim CEO until a successor is in place.“Together with the entire staff, we have traveled an amazing journey. We have built a Nordic energy company that provides clean energy to industry, shipping and transport, not to forget the biogas market and the circular economy. The company has a clear goal. The work is done…

The Canadian province of Quebec on Wednesday rejected a liquefied natural gas export project for the Port of Saguenay, citing environmental concerns, in the latest blow to North American LNG development.Quebec Environment Minister Benoit Charette said the proposed Énergie Saguenay project will not come to pass due to concerns over its emissions and would not support a transition to cleaner energy sources."This project has more disadvantages than advantages," Charette told reporters.The C$9 billion ($7.2 billion) project by privately held GNL Quebec had plans to export 11 million tonnes of LNG

Bulgartransgaz, the operator of the national natural gas transmission network of Bulgaria, has officially taken a 20% share in Greek company Gastrade that is developing an LNG floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) offshore Alexandroupolis. The agreement for Bulgartransgaz to take a 20 percent stake in Gastrade was signed back in August 2020. Following the approval granted by the Bulgarian Commission for Protection of Competition, the transaction became effective on Thursday, January 28.

Lithuania's liquefied natural gas (LNG)  terminal Klaipėdos Nafta (KN) said that its terminal capacities are now fully booked for the rest of the Gas Year, following the favorable situation in the international gas markets that has been determining the highest operative efficiency of the LNG terminal since the launch of its activities.The Gas Year is calculated from 1 October of the current year until 30 September of the following year.According to a press note from the operator of the Klaipėda Oil Terminal based in Klaipėda, Lithuania, in April, about 1.48 TWh of gas were regasified in the LNG terminal (28.3% more than the amount of gas regasified in the same period last year)…

Belgium-based natural gas transmission system operator Fluxys and Netherlands-based Titan LNG have joined forces to build the FlexFueler 002, a bunkering pontoon to make liquefied natural gas (LNG) more widely available as shipping fuel in the Antwerp port and region.Shipyard Kooiman, Zwijndrecht, The Netherlands, was contracted to build the FlexFueler 002. The pontoon, which is scheduled to be commissioned by mid-2020, will measure 76.4 x 11.45 m and is equipped with four vacuum insulated type C cargo tanks of 370 cu. m. each, to carry liquid LNG. The pontoon is not self propelled but for assistance in maneuvering a bow thruster is installed.

U.S. energy company and LNG operator Sempra Energy said that its Port Arthur LNG export terminal has moved one step closer to obtaining a federal permit.The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released a positive environmental impact statement for the project on Thursday, clearing Port Arthur LNG for the next round of the review process.FERC report concluded the project “would result in some adverse environmental impacts, but these impacts would be reduced to less-than-significant levels.”In addition to the Port Arthur LNG project approval, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued the EIS for the Texas and Louisiana connector pipeline projects that will deliver natural gas to the new export facility…

Indian multipurpose port APM Terminals Pipavav has launched a rail connection to its Kanpur Inland Container, giving customers the opportunity to connect more efficiently to the gateway port.The new connection was named the 'Polymer Express' as the first train on the route was carrying 90 TEUs of polymer for Gail, the natural gas transmission company.APM Terminals Pipavav is one of India's gateway ports for containers and liquid and dry bulk cargoes, serving customers in the state of Gujarat with road and rail networks to India's hinterland and northwest.“This new connection will help exporters and importers to move their cargo faster and more safely using an environmentally friendly mode of transport…

Italian investment bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), the largest shipbuilder in Europe Fincantieri and natural gas transmission company Snam teamed up to innovate port facilities in Italy and develop sustainable technologies for maritime transport.The preliminary collaboration agreement is aimed at identifying, defining and implementing medium-term strategic projects for the innovation and development of port facilities in Italy, as well as for the development of sustainable technologies applied to maritime transport, in line with the provisions of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan Proposal (PNIEC).The agreement was signed today in Rome by the CEOs of CDP…

Greek utility company Gastrade has extended the timeline for completion of its Greek LNG development by six months to allow more time for the delivery of offshore floating, storage and regasification unit (FSRU) for the Alexandroupolis Independent Natural Gas System Project.Gastrade, the developer of the 5.5 billion cubic metre per year regasification project, has pushed back its completion date from the end of 2020 to the second quarter of 2021 to give interested suppliers more time to deliver an FSRU.The project is being developed by Gastrade, and consists of an offshore FSRU, as well as a mooring, and a system of subsea and onshore gas transmission pipelines…

The first phase of the Market Test for the capacity commitment at the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal of Alexandroupolis was completed successfully on 31 December.According to an announcement from Gastrade, twenty companies submitted relevant Expression of Interest for a total of up to 12.2 billion cubic meters / year of regasification capacity reservation at the floating terminal and delivery to the Greek National Natural Gas Transmission System."These gas quantities will be directed towards the markets of the wider Southeastern European region. The Expression of Interest surpassed the technical capacity of the project which is designed at 5.5 bcm/ year," it said.Companies that have expressed interest in the Market Test cover a wide range of geography.

Romanian based independent oil and gas company Black Sea Oil & Gas together with its co-venture partners, Petro Ventures Resources and Gas Plus International, announced the signing of the Gas Sales Agreement with ENGIE through its subsidiary Engie Energy Management Romania  for natural gas supply from the Midia Gas Development (MGD)Project .Under this agreement, which is subject to Final Investment Decision, ENGIE will purchase gas from the Ana and Doina gas reservoirs over a minimum period of 10 years in compliance with Romanian law.Expected contractual volumes at project completion represent 0,5 bcm per year. The gas will be delivered…

Iran is projected to officially join the LNG Exporters Club in the next two years, managing Director of National Iranian Oil Company Rokneddin Javadi was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency. Establishing new LNG production units instead of constructing pipeline tops Iran's agenda for transferring gas to Europe, since economic calculations reveal LNG production is more economically efficient give the market's current state, he said. Currently, natural gas transmission through pipelines for a distance over 2500 km is not technically or economically profitable, Rokneddin said. Meanwhile, three foreign companies are reportedly keen to purchase an Iran LNG Company plant to complete it.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) has awarded four Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) grants totaling $1,309,365.91 to Louisiana coastal communities for projects that prevent coastal erosion, develop conservation education opportunities and improve coastal transportation infrastructure. Created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, CIAP provides funding to the six Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas producing states to conserve and protect the coastal environment. CIAP is an ongoing program with grant funding that is allocated based on the offshore energy revenues collected by the United States. “CIAP is a valuable program that continues to provide assistance to states and coastal communities,” said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich.

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued the following status report on ports affected by Hurricane Katrina: Port of New Orleans: Operational to 42 feet Port of Fourchon: Operation to 24 feet Port of Gulfport: Operational to 30 feet Port of Biloxi: Operational to 9 feet Port of Pascagoula: Operational to 36 feet Port of Mobile: Operational to 43 feet Port of Fourchon: Operational to 24 feet The Industrial Canal is open east of the Cowan/Lorraine bridge. All major interstate crude oil, refined product, and natural gas transmission pipelines are operating Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) operating at 75% capacity. Numerous reports of oil and gas leaks in the Gulf of Mexico. Some of these may be from pipelines. Damage assessments have not yet been conducted.

Lebanon is planning to establish a floating Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) plant to feed natural gas directly to the country's power stations. Lebanon has been trying to adopt an alternative energy program for years, by diversifying its fuel sources and reducing its dependence on imported oil. With the government shouldering the mounting losses of ElectricitŽ du Liban - which meets Lebanon's annual energy consumption requirements using oil imports - the need to switch to switch to gas has become even more pressing. As part of the new energy strategy, Lebanon plans to build a natural gas pipeline along the coast to feed all its power plants. Up to 2004 the government did a lot of preparatory work to establish an off-shore national gas transmission pipeline from the North to the South.

Post-hurricane production from The Devils Tower platform includes new subsea fields at Triton and Goldfinger. Located approximately 140 miles southeast of New Orleans, Devils Tower is deepest dry-tree truss spar in the world. Owned by Williams and operated by Dominion Exploration & Production, the spar has successfully weathered three major hurricanes. Dominion Exploration & Production employees recently celebrated their New Orleans homecoming with a crawfish boil held in front of the company's new offices -- the home of Dominion's offshore business unit. During the last two months, 210 employees and their families have returned to New Orleans from temporary housing in Houston.