Expansion of the GNL Quintero import terminal in Chile has been given a green light despite the limited amount of commercial interest shown in the added capacity.

The operating consortium’s board this week gave approval to lift the facility’s send-out ceiling to 15 million cubic metres per day at a cost of around $30 million.

However, an open season run by gas marketing affiliate GNL Chile to tie up off-take agreements for the expanded volumes looks set to lead to only one new deal on top of the terminal’s current contracts.

“We are not sure that we have any new customer interest,” said a GNL Chile executive.