Fos Cavaou LNG terminal operating at full capacity

Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent

PARIS, Sept. 1 -- The Fos Cavaou LNG terminal on France's Mediterranean coast has been authorized to operate at its full 8.25 billion cu m/year capacity, up from the 20% allowed since April when a restriction was placed on the facility.

Owned by Societe du Terminal Methanier Fos Cavaou (STMFC)—a joint venture of GDF Suez 71.99% and Total SA 28.10%—the terminal is operated and maintained by GDF Suez affiliate Elengy. Elengy also operates two other GDF Suez LNG terminals in France: Montoir-de-Bretagne on the Atlantic and Fos Tonkin, near Fos Cavaou.

Located at the entrance of Fos Ouest Harbor, Fos Cavaou can receive LNG carriers with as much as 220,000 cu m of LNG capacity. It has three storage tanks totaling 330,000 cu m.

Meanwhile, the Fos port is preparing for two further LNG terminal projects—Vopak-Shell’s 8 billion cu m/year terminal, slated for completion in 2016, and the expansion of Fos Tonkin.