Polish energy suppliers, Gaz-System and ORLEN are to provide regasification services at a planned FSRU terminal in the Gulf of Gdańsk.
This is in addition to the FSRU already operating at Świnoujście, which is to be expanded.
The new terminal project involves the mooring of an FSRU in the Gdańsk area, designed to process 6.1 bill cu m of LNG per year.
An agreement was signed following the open season procedure in which ORLEN submitted an order covering 100% of Gaz-System’s regasification services.
“Last year, as a result of the political impact of the war in Ukraine, the directions of natural gas supplies to the European Union have been completely reorganised. We can see over 60% increase in LNG supplies from the global market.
“Poland, as a beneficiary of this trend, seeks to become a gas hub for Central and Eastern Europe,” said Poland’s Secretary of State and Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructur, Anna Łukaszewska-Trzeciakowska at the signing ceremony.
“The FSRU terminal in Gdańsk contributes to the process of the country's energy and economic transition towards less carbon-intensive energy sources. The FSRU terminal project, market-confirmed by ORLEN Group, constitutes another element of the country's energy security scheme based on sound economic rationale.
“Following the recently completed interconnections with Denmark, Lithuania and Slovakia and the expansion of the LNG Terminal in Świnoujście, this project will increase the diversification of natural gas supplies to Poland and the Intermarium region,” added Marcin Chludziński, Gaz-System’s Management Board President.
Gaz-System also said it saw unprecedented increase in market demand for LNG supplies; in response to this growing interest, it said that it is already undertaking measures to expand the regasification capacity of the planned FSRU terminal.
“Given the growing interest across the entire CEE region in diversification of gas supply sources based on LNG, we are currently conducting an open season procedure for the second FSRU terminal.
“Assuming its positive outcome, we could launch the second FSRU, which would allow us to increase the regasification capacity of the facility by an additional 4.5 bill cu m of gaseous fuel per year,” said Andrzej Kensbok, Vice-President of GAZ-SYSTEM Management Board.
“The fuel and energy security of Poland has always been and continues to be our priority. The need for enhanced security constituted one of the arguments for building a strong multi-utility group. Owing to the merger with LOTOS, PGNiG and Energa, we have the potential to engage in further projects that contribute to the energy independence of the country and the region.
“One of such projects is the planned floating LNG terminal in the Gulf of Gdańsk, the entire regasification capacity of which has just been booked by ORLEN. Including President Lech Kaczyński's LNG terminal in Świnoujście already in operation, it will enable the company to receive all the LNG to be supplied under long-term contracts we have signed.
“At present, this volume accounts for almost 14 bill cu m per year. Such quantity of gaseous fuel supplemented by imports from Norway and our own domestic production, will allow us not only to fully satisfy the needs of Polish customers, but also to offer gas to neighbouring markets. Consequently, ORLEN will be a guarantor of fuel and energy security not only internally, but also in other countries in the region,” explained Daniel Obajtek, ORLEN’s President of the Management Board.
The project is at an advanced design stage. Permission has been granted to build three onshore gas pipelines to connect up to the FSRU, having a total length of around 250 km.
It has been given the status of a ‘Project of Common Interest’ (PCI). Under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the European Commission granted funding for the project up to a maximum of about €19.6 mill.
