Gasunie, Oiltanking, Vopak study building Germany’s first LNG import terminal

Gasunie LNG Holding BV, Oiltanking GMBH, and Vopak LNG Holding BV have received approval under the European Union Merger Regulation to establish a joint venture for owning and operating a 2-3 million tonne/year LNG terminal in northern Germany. The import terminal would be Germany’s first.

The three companies are investigating the possibility of building and operating a multiservice LNG terminal (including import and small-scale services) at Brunsbüttel along the Elbe River close to the city of Hamburg. Germany can now receive regasified LNG from either Fluxys’ Zeebrugge LNG terminal in Belgium, with 9-billion cu m/year sendout capacity, or the 12-billion cm/year sendout Gate LNG terminal owned by Gasunie and Vopak in the Netherlands.

The feasibility study consists of economic, technical, nautical, and regulatory assessments, as well as the permitting procedures. No investment decisions have been taken yet.

E.On AG in 2006 proposed a 7.75-million tpy terminal at Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony, but this project has not advanced.

Contact Christopher E. Smith at [email protected].