Lithuanian LNG terminal sees record bookings
Companies including Norway's Equinor have booked a record 8.9 TWh of regasification capacity at the Klaipeda LNG terminal in Lithuania in the gas year starting October 1, 2021, the facility's operator Klaipedos Nafta (KN) reported on June 7.
This compares with 8.4 TWh of capacity that were booked during the annual capacity allocation procedure for the current gas year. A further 12.3 TWh were booked during the year.
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KN said it had attracted bookings not only from existing customers but also new ones like Equinor. The operator said it expected to receive twice as many LNG spot cargoes for regasification in the 12 months starting in October compared with the current year.
The 2.7mn metric tons/year Klaipeda LNG terminal was opened in 2014. In addition to customers in Lithuania, it also provides gas to users in Latvia, Estonia and Finland. Sales to Finland only became possible after the completion of a gas link with Estonia at the start of 2020. Lithuania also expects to launch a pipeline to Poland by the end of this year, opening up another market for the Klaipeda terminal.
Equinor has an LNG supply contract with the Lithuanian state gas company Ignitis. However its liquefaction terminal at Hammerfest is not expected to be operational until March 2022 – half way through the gas year.