Gasum Becomes Nordic Biogas Leader

Finnish gas utility Gasum announced earlier this week that it has become the biggest producer of biogas in the Nordic region, after completing the acquisition of Swedish Biogas International January 2.

Volumes involved remain relatively small. The Linköping, Sweden-based firm produces 300 GWh/yr (28mn m³/yr) of biogas from six units; the transaction was first announced December 23 but the sale price was not disclosed.

Gasum already produced annually 350 GWh (33mn m³) of biogas from 450,000 metric tons at its seven biogas plants; it also produces biogas with its partners in Espoo, Kouvola and Lahti. Last month Helsinki’s bus fleet contracted to switch to biogas produced by Gasum.

Gasum is the majority owner of LNG supplier Skangas which has small natural gas liquefaction plants at Risavika in Norway and Porvoo in Finland plus LNG terminals in Ora in Norway, Pori in Finland, and Lysekil in Sweden. The first small LNG export cargo from Lithuania was delivered January 6 at Lysekil.

MS Megastar was bunkered with LNG at Pori in Finland on January 4 2017 (Photo credit: Skangas)

Estonian shipowner Tallink’s new fast ferry MS Megastar was bunkered with LNG for the first time at Pori LNG terminal on January 4, Skangas said this week. Her maiden voyage from Tallinn to Helsinki will take place in late January.

Mark Smedley