Gastrade of Greece has awarded key contracts to support its fast-track floating storage and regasification unit-based liquefied natural gas import scheme. The scheme is intended to boost energy security in southeast Europe amid the suspension of Russian gas deliveries to the continent.
The floater, which will have a nominal send out capacity of 5.5 billion cubic metres per annum of gas and a peak capacity of 8.3 Bcm per annum, will be stationed around 18 kilometres southwest of Alexandroupolis in northeast Greece.
A partnership of RINA, an inspection, certification and consulting engineering company, and Greek engineering consultant Asprofos, have won the project management consultancy services contract for the Alexandroupolis Independent Natural Gas System (INGS).
“This is a crucial project for the security of European energy supplies. Recent events have highlighted the danger of relying on a single country for our energy needs,” said RINA executive vice president of energy and mobility Leonardo Brunori.
The INGS project comprises the permanently moored FSRU, a spread mooring system and a 28-kilometre pipeline system — including high-pressure subsea and onshore gas transmission pipelines — to deliver regasified volumes to the Greek National Natural Gas Transmission System.
This fast-track LNG import project calls for the FSRU to enter commercial operations by the end of 2023. However, the project has already been delayed by more than a year.
Gas will flow to markets in Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and the wider region, with the potential to also supply Ukraine. Cargoes are expected to be sourced from Qatar and the US.
Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine is converting the LNG carrier GasLog Chelsea into the Alexandroupolis FSRU. GasLog will operate and maintain the unit after Keppel has delivered it to Gastrade.
The LNG import project proponent said RINA and Asprofos would ensure the project’s contractual requirements. such as expected performance, quality, safety and planning, as well as supporting technical and managerial planning and oversight.
Asprofos has worked on most of the phases of the National Natural Gas System of Greece, including the LNG terminal at Revithoussa.
The contractor has also been actively involved in the Trans Adriatic, IGI Poseidon and EastMed pipeline projects.
Plans for second FSRU
Gastrade has plans for a second LNG import project — the Thrace FSRU which is to be deployed eight kilometres from the Alexandroupolis facility. Earlier this year Gastrade applied for a new INGS licence to Greece’s Regulatory Authority for Energy.
The Thrace FSRU would be able to deliver up to a maximum of 5.5 Bcm per annum of gas.
Gastrade’s shareholders with 20% equity each are founding shareholder Elmina Copelouzou, GasLog, DEPA, Bulgartransgaz and DESFA.
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