[News] Germany plans to boost liquefied natural gas capacity as Russian gas dwindles

[Amaterasu イタチ]

 

 

Germany will charter a fifth floating liquefied natural gas terminal as the country looks to become independent of Russian gas imports and secure supplies for future winters, the country's economic ministry announced Thursday.

The terminal for the import of LNG will be installed in Wilhelmshaven, a port city in northwestern Germany.

It will have a capacity of 5 billion cubic meters per year and will be operated by a consortium made up of energy companies EON, Engie and Tree Energy Solutions, according to the ministry. It is scheduled to become fully operational at the end of 2023. 

Germany has been under pressure from Ukraine and other nations in Europe reduce its reliance on Russian energy supplies since the start of the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. 

"All the steps we take to free ourselves as quickly as possible from the clutches of Russian imports are more necessary than ever," Germany's Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck told reporters on Thursday.

"It is astonishing that we have reduced the dependence on Russian gas so quickly with the development of new infrastructure, compared to the decades it took to become dependent on Russia," Habeck continued, adding that Germany should not rely on gas being delivered through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline from Russia over the coming winter. 
For future winters, the newly chartered floating unit is expected fill the gap left by Russian gas imports, which covered 55% of Germany's demand before the invasion of Ukraine.

The five government-chartered terminals have a total capacity of 25 billion cubic meters per year, with the first set to begin pumping gas around the end of 2022. 

Some background: Russian state energy giant Gazprom cut all deliveries through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline on Wednesday in what it said was a planned shutdown until Saturday for maintenance work.

In recent months, Gazprom has slashed flows through Nord Stream 1 to just 20% of capacity, citing maintenance issues and blaming Western sanctions on exports of technology imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

 

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