Adriatic Tenders for Peak-Shaving LNG Cargo

Adriatic LNG, owner-operator of the Italian import terminal offshore Venice, said November 8 that it has been selected for the fourth consecutive year by the government to provide peak-shaving services this winter.

It is tendering for one 60,000 to 70,000 m3 LNG cargo, to be unloaded in first half December 2017, on behalf of the economic development ministry. The tender closes before midday November 20.

The peak shaving service here is part of Italy’s plan to face off possible emergencies, by guaranteeing reserve stored LNG availability for the Snam-operated national gas grid during 1Q2018.

Adriatic LNG, which is primarily owned by ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum, is mainly used for the import of Qatari cargoes into Italy, but has also handled LNG from six other countries (Egypt, Trinidad, Equatorial Guinea, Norway, Nigeria and the US). The 5.8mn mt (8bn m3) per year capacity gravity-base terminal offshore Rovigo in northeast Italy opened in 2009. Italy has two other LNG import terminals, one at Panigaglia, the other offshore Livorno – both offshore northwest Italy, neither is used as actively as Adriatic LNG.

Mark Smedley