Energy giant Shell and Chech power utility Cez have jointly booked 7 billion cubic metres per year of LNG in the planned Eemshaven LNG terminal.
Gasunie subsidiary EemsEnergyTerminal signed the first customers that will supply LNG via the port of Eemshaven in the Netherlands.
Čez and Shell Western LNG have jointly contracted 7 billion cubic metres (bcm) of capacity. EemsEnergyTerminal expects the remaining 1 bcm of capacity to be sold in the coming months.
Dutch minister for climate and energy policy Rob Jetten said: “That is an important part of our approach to becoming less dependent on Russian gas as soon as possible, but also to preparing for the coming winter.”
Until this year, the Netherlands only had an LNG terminal in the port of Rotterdam. The expansion in the Eemshaven and the optimisation of the terminal in Rotterdam will double the import capacity for LNG. The LNG terminal in the port of Eemshaven will consist of two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs); the Exmar S188 and the Golar Igloo .
The S188 recently arrived at the Port of Rotterdam where it will be prepared for the purposes it will serve at Eemshaven. Both FSRUs are to arrive at the port of Eemshaven at the end of August. The Golar Igloo will be the first to be connected to the Dutch natural gas grid, followed later by the S188 .
Together, the two FSRUs have a throughput capacity of approximately 8 bcm per year, which can contribute significantly to reducing dependence on Russian gas.
Ulco Vermeulen , member of Gasunie’s executive board, said: “We welcome the first customers of EemsEnergyTerminal and are very happy with their support and cooperative attitude.”
Over the next five years, at the port of Eemshaven the FSRUs will be converting LNG back into its gaseous form. The terminal will also be able to store LNG. After processing the supplied LNG, a total of 8 bcm of natural gas will be ready for feeding into the national gas grid.