LNG

June 24 (LNGJ) - Dutch utility Gasunie and storage group Royal Vopak may keep the Eemshaven LNG import facilities at the Groningen port in the Netherlands for longer than planned either for their continued use for LNG or other possible uses such as hydrogen or carbon-capture and storage projects.

   “In partnership with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Gasunie and Vopak are exploring options to keep operating the EemsEnergy Terminal for longer than initially planned,” said a statement. “This survey will not only look at LNG but is also intended to explore ways to bring about a future, rapid transition to a sustainable energy system, where hydrogen and carbon capture and storage play key roles,” they added.

April 15 (LNGJ) - Gasunie, the Dutch utility and LNG terminals owner, said it was concluding new 10-year framework agreements with a selection of six contractors for the maintenance and management of existing natural gas pipelines and the construction of new pipelines for hydrogen, green gas and carbon-dioxide. “The energy transition leads to many new projects, where maintenance of existing infrastructure also remains crucial. The agreement includes maximum investments of around €4 billion ($4.25Bln) spread over a period of 10 years,” Gasunie explained.

   Janneke Hermes, Chief Financial Officer of Gasunie, said the agreement included “a new working method” that focuses on strategic partnership in the light of the energy transition. “We will invest large-scale in our core activity, the transport of energy, in the coming years,” Hermes added. “The focus of the investments is on maintaining a safe and reliable gas network,” she stated.

Jan 24 (LNGJ) - Two US LNG cargoes are heading for the Netherlands, including the first delivery of February. The vessel “Diamond Gas Metropolis” with 174,100 cubic metres capacity is scheduled to discharge a cargo on January 30 at the Dutch Gate terminal in Rotterdam. Shipping data shows that the cargo was loaded on January 16 at the Cameron export plant in Louisiana, operated by Sempra.

   The carrier “Woodside Rees Withers” with 173,400 of capacity is scheduled to deliver a cargo on February 2 to the Eemshaven floating terminal in Groningen. The cargo was lifted on January 19 from the Cheniere Energy-operated plant at Corpus Christi in Texas.

Oct 3 (LNGJ) - Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany are scheduled to receive assorted cargo deliveries this week. The vessel “LNG Benue” with 142,990 cubic metres capacity is scheduled to deliver a shipment from Nigeria on October 8 to the Belgian import terminal at Zeebrugge, according to shipping data.

   The “Traiano Knutsen” with 180,000 of capacity will discharge a US cargo on October 6 at the Dutch floating import facilities at Eemshaven in Groningen. The cargo was loaded on September 18 at the Corpus Christi export plant in Texas. The carrier “Arctic Discoverer” with 139,760 cubic metres capacity is due to unload a cargo from Norway on October 5 at the German North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven. The shipment was lifted on September 23 from the Hammerfest plant in Northern Norway.

Exmar NV, the supplier of floating liquefied natural gas import facilities and an FLNG production unit to the Netherlands and the Republic of Congo respectively, has issued clarification to a letter sent to shareholders on the voluntary public takeover bid launched by Saverex NV for Exmar and open for acceptance until September 15.

The moves over the takeover process begun in June 2023 and involving Saverex, the holding company of the family of Exmar Executive Chairman Nicolas Saverys, came as Exmar also reported its first-half earnings.

Exmar revenues jumped to $200.2 million in the first six months of 2023 compared with $57.1M in the same period of 2022.

Proft returns

The Antwerp, Belgium-based company’s net profits amounted to $2M versus a loss of $8.5M in last year’s first half.

In regard to its latest letter to shareholders, the company said this may have “created the impression with certain shareholders that they are under an obligation to sell” their shares.

“This certainly was not the company’s intention and we, therefore, ask you to disregard this Letter and we hereby rectify that each shareholder is free to either tender or not to tender their shares to Saverex,” explained the company

“In the event shareholders have already tendered their shares in this second acceptance period, they also have the right to retract their tender,” it added.

“Certain shareholders have allegedly been approached in the name of the company, to convince or induce them to tender their shares to Saverex. The company takes the opportunity to underline that it has not taken such initiative and it would not support any such actions,” it declared.

FLNG progress

In the earnings report, Exmar, said that the “FSRU Eemshaven LNG” chartered to an affiliate of Dutch utility Gasunie has been running steadily at 300 million standard cubic feet per day of capacity.

Exmar added that progress was being made on the Congo export project involving the conventional LNG carrier “Excalibur”, which is undergoing conversion to a floating storage unit (FSU).

The “Excalibur” will be used alongside the “Tango FLNG” production vessel in a project being developed by Italian oil and gas major Eni.

Exmar retains an extensive fleet of other vessels, including three Vary Large Gas Carriers, 17 mid-sized liquefied petroleum gas carriers, two newbuilds and 10 pressurised carriers.

“The three VLGCs continue under their current employment. The VLGC market continues to perform well and prospects for the remainder of 2023 are positive,” stated Exmar.

“In the Midsize Gas Carriers (MGC) market, 2022 was an eventful year for LPG and ammonia with increased freight and higher ton-mile, while 2023 has seen a correction with reduced ammonia shipping demand, while LPG trade remained robust,” the company added.

“Owners managed to keep MGC hire rates at good levels despite recent newbuilding deliveries,” Exmar said.

July 14 (LNGJ) - Belgian shipping company Exmar, which chartered a regasification barge to the Netherlands and sold a floating LNG production vessel to Italy’s Eni for deployment in Africa, has altered share totals and schedules to progress with the takeover of Exmar by Saverex NV, the holding company of the family of Exmar Executive Chairman Nicolas Saverys.

   A statement said the initial acceptance period of the voluntary and conditional public takeover bid had an initial acceptance of 77.76 percent of the outstanding shares. Saverex has, therefore, decided to waive the 95 percent acceptance threshold and was proceeding with the bid. The payment of the bid price for the shares offered during the initial acceptance period is still scheduled for July 27. Saverex has also decided voluntarily to reopen the bid from Monday 28th August until Friday15th September 2023 at 16:00 (Belgian time).

Gasunie, the co-owner of the Dutch Rotterdam and Eemshaven LNG import facilities and a stakeholder in the onshore German regasification facility planned for Brunsbüttel, said annual results were impacted by the energy market turmoil caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Port of Rotterdam, host to the Dutch Gate LNG import terminal in the Maasvlakte area, reported “significant changes” in the first half of 2022 because of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine with incoming LNG shipments increasing by over 55 percent and coal imports also surging.

The Port said in its first-half report that total cargoes increased by 0.8 percent to 233.5 million tonnes compared with 231.6MT in the first six months of 2021.

Revenues at the port, which is owned by the City of Rotterdam and the Government of the Netherlands, increased by 6.3 percent to €412 million ($420M) versus €387.6M in the first half of 2021.

The increase in port dues accounted for €16.1M of the revenues and this rise was primarily attributable to a higher number of vessels, resulting in a higher price per throughput tonne.

“In many segments, the war in Ukraine led to significant changes. For example, imports of both LNG and coal rose very sharply as an alternative to reduced European imports of Russian gas by pipeline,” said the report.

The Port said it handled 5.32 million tonnes of incoming LNG from January through June compared with 3.41MT in the first half of 2021, a rise of 55.9 percent.

Dutch LNG imports for all of 2021 amounted to 5.64MT, an increase of 5.8 percent over the previous year.

Coal imports

Rotterdam’s coal imports in the first half jumped 31.9 percent to 14.05MT from 10.65MT in the prior-year period.

“There is very strong demand for LNG as an alternative to the natural gas entering Europe by pipeline from Russia,” said the Port.

“The throughput of crude oil increased, with oil products falling off. Throughput of iron ore, agricultural bulk and containers was lower than in the same period last year,” it added.

LNG shipments come under the Port’s Liquid Bulk segment and first-half traffic of liquid bulk rose by 4.6 percent.

“The 4.3 percent increase in crude oil was mainly caused by the flow of Russian oil through Rotterdam to India in particular. Refineries in Northwest Europe are switching to non-Russian oil, with the result that Russian oil is finding its way to other markets,” the Port explained.

“It was possible to see a shift in the origin of imports of coal, crude oil, oil products and LNG in the second quarter. Companies are sourcing these energy carriers and raw materials less and less from Russia and purchasing them elsewhere in the world,” said the report.

CEO overview

Allard Castelein, Chief Executive of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, noted that Europe has relied heavily on Russian energy.

“The current geopolitical situation makes Europe very vulnerable. The availability of energy and raw materials at reasonable prices cannot be taken for granted,” said Castelein.

“A positive development is that concrete steps have been taken in recent months to make our energy supply more sustainable and to further our energy independence, particularly through investment decisions to build a large biorefinery,” he added.

“In addition to the vulnerability of the European energy system, nitrogen emissions continue to be a major bottleneck. Several major projects, including the carbon dioxide-capture and storage project Porthos, are being delayed or threatened with delays due to uncertainty and restrictions associated with nitrogen emission,” stated the CEO.

Rotterdam’s Gate LNG terminal started operations in 2011 and is a joint venture between Dutch utility Gasunie and global storage company Royal Dutch Vopak.

Gate Terminal BV, the operating company, said in early July 2022 that annual capacity was now 12 billion cubic metres on a firm basis and in addition 4 Bcm on an interruptible basis will be available in the future.

The terminal company said it had started working on a permit application, regulatory conditions and technical feasibility with the aim of launching an open season on 15th August 2022 to increase the firm annual capacity by 4 Bcm.

New Fortress Energy Inc., the US LNG-for-power company, saw its shares rise after it executed a binding agreement to charter a floating storage and regasification unit to Dutch utility Gasunie to serve as a second LNG import terminal for the Netherlands at the Port of Eemshaven.