LNG

April 7 (LNGJ) - French LNG storage technology company GTT and PipeChina Engineering Technology Innovation have signed a cooperation agreement for the evaluation of onshore tanks for more LNG import projects. The deal was signed during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Beijing. The PipeChina Group currently operates seven LNG receiving terminals in China and is constructing three more import facilities.

   “Following the successful deliveries of onshore tanks for the Huagang Gas peak-shaving project in Hejian as well as Phase I of the Beijing Gas Tianjin Nangang project, we are confident that our collaboration with PipeChina Innovation will enable us to continue providing our solutions to support PipeChina’s upcoming terminal projects,” said Adnan Ezzarhouni, General Manager of GTT China.

Gaztransport and Technigaz, the French technology and engineering company for LNG storage, has signed an additional cooperation agreement related to the Tianjin Nangang LNG import terminal currently being developed in northeast China.

GTT and the developer, Beijing Gas Group, said their accord is for collaboration for the phase II and phase III parts of the terminal construction beyond phase 1 covered by the current agreement.

The second and third phases of the Tianjin Nangang construction will include building six additional storage tanks, each of 220,000 cubic metres capacity.

This agreement was signed at a ceremony held at the French Embassy in Beijing in the presence of French Ambassador Laurent Bili, Chairman of Beijing Enterprises Group Tian Zhenqing and Li Yalan, Chairwoman of the board of Beijing Gas, along with Adnan Ezzarhouni, General Manager of GTT in China.

“I am convinced that GTT, a company of excellence in the field of natural gas, has a great future in China, which has resolutely embarked on the path of energy transition,” state French Ambassador Bili.

The first firm agreement for Tianjin Nangang LNG followed a November 2019 accord between GTT and Beijing Gas on the occasion of the presidential visit to China of French President Emmanuel Macron for talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

GTT subsequently received an order in June 2020 for the design of two 220,000 cubic metres capacity membrane tanks.

Built as part of the Tianjin Nangang project, located east of the capital Beijing, these two tanks when completed will be the largest in China.

“In this new agreement, GTT will also support Beijing Gas in upgrading the National Standards of LNG onshore tanks,” explained GTT.

Beijing Gas Chairwoman Li Yalan said the Tianjin Nangang LNG project was progressing smoothly.

“I hope Beijing Gas and GTT continue to strengthen their cooperation and jointly promote the adoption of the lower carbon footprint membrane full containment technology among Chinese gas companies,” added Li.

The Tianjin Nangang terminal will be the third serving the northeast Chinese port supplying the gas needs of Beijing.

The existing facilities currently include the Tianjin North onshore terminal operated by China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) and a separate floating terminal provided by Norway’s Höegh LNG in the form of a floating storage and regasification unit on long-term charter to China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC).

“We are very pleased to extend our partnership with Beijing Gas, proof that the membrane full containment technology meets expectations in terms of technological performance, cost competitiveness and level of safety,” stated Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT.