Greece to Take US LNG This Month (Update)
(Adds Depa comments at end)
Greek gas grid Desfa’s recently launched tank at Revithoussa will receive its first US LNG on December 29, the energy and environment ministry announced December 13. American firm, Cheniere, has loaded 150,000 m³ of LNG, based on its agreement with Greek gas supplier Depa. Not all Cheniere's LNG output was pre-sold on long-term capacity contracts.
"This is the first cargo introduced by the US to Greece, stamping the mutual efforts of the two states for closer cooperation in the field of energy security in the southeast Mediterranean region. Natural gas is required to play a transitional role in securing Greece's energy security," the ministry said.
The expansion of Greece’s LNG import terminal is near final completion and is due to go operational shortly, industry sources told NGW.
Revithoussa terminal currently has a maximum sendout rate of 4.5bn m3/yr; the expansion is expected to increase that by 55% to 7bn m3/yr. Following unbundling, Greek gas grid Desfa operates the terminal and grid and Depa supplies Greece with gas.
In a statement December 13, Depa said the delivery was part of its "strategy for further diversification of gas supply sources to ensure competitive gas supply prices for its customers as well as gas security." The LNG comes from Cheniere's terminal in Corpus Christi, Texas, and will be unloaded by the newly-built LNG tanker Maria Energy, owned by the Tsakos shipping group, Depa said.