The public authorities have selected the TotalEnergies floating LNG terminal project as a new import point for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Le Havre, we learned from the Seine-Maritime prefecture on Friday July 29.
It is one of the group’s two FSRU (floating regasification unit) vessels, “which will make it possible to inject up to 5 billion cubic meters of natural gas ([l’équivalent d’]around 60% of Russian gas imported by France in 2021) per year into the national network”. Its activity should start in September 2023, can we read in the press release.
“About 10% of French annual consumption”
The power struggle between Moscow and the West since the start of the conflict in Ukraine has led to a crisis in the supply of natural gas throughout Europe. France is currently supplied by four port LNG import terminals (two at Fos-sur-Mer, one at Montoir-de-Bretagne and one at Dunkirk) and wanted to secure its supply with a new terminal.
Moored in the port of Le Havre, the ship Cape Ann can inject “about 10% of annual French consumption”according to the prefecture, from LNG carriers which will supply it with gas from “possibly from Norway, Algeria, Qatar, the United States, Nigeria, Angola, or even Egypt”.
The quay development and connection works carried out by TotalEnergies and GRTgaz are expected to begin in the fall of 2022 for this “temporary project” which will “intended to be dismantled when supply tensions have been overcome”. Safety and security risk assessment studies are “nearing completion” according to the prefect, who examines a so-called “case by case” file.