Skaugen Defers Africa LNG Launch
Norwegian shipowner IM Skaugen said July 26 that its 'Small Scale LNG' project in Africa will not be launched as planned before the end of this month.
The project, which was to launch May 24, was first postponed to June 1 and then July, and has now been postponed to August according to the update. Delays in the transport of first LNG under the project were due to Skaugen’s inability to secure the necessary governmental approvals, it said.
While the firm, in its statement, did not say where exactly the project will be developed, it is very likely that it will be at Aboadze in western Ghana, according to previous reports, and is intended to supply an independent power project in the area (NGW Magazine, 2/13 pp20-21).
The Oslo-based shipowner said in June that it made relevant progress in the project’s development, by delivering key equipment to the site. However, some equipment has yet to be assembled before final installation.
Skaugen's July 26 statement said that gassing up and cooldown of the receiving and regas facilities with liquid nitrogen has been performed for the first power plant with no major problem, and indicated then that its clients were ready to receive and use LNG as provided.
The shipowner has a fleet of six carriers of between 10,000 and 12,000 m3 LNG capacity, and had indicated that three of these would serve its initial African small scale LNG project, providing a template for similar developments in the future.
Olivier de Souza