Spanish terminals operator Enagás awards logistical services contract to utility Endesa after tender
Enagás, the Spanish gas grid and terminals operator, said the El Musel liquefied natural gas re-loading facility in Northwest Spain designated to supply the European Union has awarded the services contracts to utility Endesa after a tender process.
Endesa is the largest Spanish electric utility while being a majority-owned subsidiary of the Italian utility group Enel.
Enagás said the award to Endesa of logistics services for the El Musel terminal at the Port of Gijón on the Bay of Biscay followed a capacity allocation process.
“The open season had aroused strong interest among trading companies. In total, 13 were received between June 5 and 30, the period during which this last part of the process was developed,” explained Enagás.
“The logistics services offered for this infrastructure are LNG unloading, storage and loading operations,” Enagás said.
Regulated régime
“Within the regulated access regime, the El Musel plant contemplates a minimum regasification for the exact management of the terminal, as well as the tanker-loading service,” it added.
Enagás has re-activated the existing El Musel terminal to meet growing LNG needs in the EU after the closure of Russian pipeline gas supplies and a US commissioning cargo was delivered recently by the 174,000 cubic metres capacity carrier “Cool Racer”.
The Spanish terminal will contribute up to 8 billion cubic metres of additional LNG to Europe’s supply when commercial operations start.
El Musel will specialise in the unloading of LNG carriers from various producing countries and the rapid re-loading of ships for different European destinations.
The terminal berthing can accommodate the largest vessels and it has two storage tanks each with capacity of 150,000 cubic metres.
The re-opening of El Musel is part of the Spanish Government’s “More Energy Security Plan” and will add to Spain’s role as an energy hub for Europe as the nation also receives pipeline gas imports from Algeria.
Enagás operates six other LNG regasification terminals on mainland Spain.
Enagás opens second phase to June 30 of El Musel LNG capacity allocation as 16 companies express interest
Enagás, the Spanish gas grid and terminals operator, is set to begin the second phase of the capacity allocation process, or open season, after interest expressed by 16 trading companies for Spain’s El Musel liquefied natural gas re-loading facility in northern Spain set aside for the European Union.
