Deutsche Energy Terminal GMBH, responsible for operating and marketing the capacities of the four floating storage and regasification units (FSRU) on the German North Sea coast, is conducting a market survey to gauge regasification demand from the Brunsbüttel, Stade, Wilhelmshaven 1 and Wilhelmshaven 2 LNG terminals. Responses to the survey are due July 31, 2023, and will help shape proposals for 2024 capacity utilization to be determined via an October 2023 digital auction.
Planned capacities and the timing of their availability are:
- Brunsbüttel, 3.5-5 billion cu m/year (bcmy), April 2024.
- Stade, 6 bcmy, first-quarter 2024.
- Wilhelmshaven 1, 6 bcmy, April 2024.
- Wilhelmshaven 2, 4 bcmy, first-quarter 2024.
According to Germany’s LNG ordinance, offers will include both long-term (more than 1 year) and short-term options and are expected to be allocated in 175,000-cu m increments. Long-term capacity will be offered first. Duration of long-term bookings has yet to be defined and will be based on survey responses.
Offers will include terminal regasification capacity, the ability to book firm, freely allocatable capacities for send-out to the German grid, and marketing of the gas at the country’s virtual trading point. At Wilhelmshaven 1 and 2, 20% of offered capacity will include the possibility of booking dynamic allocatable capacity, allowing for injection of gas for intermediate storage at the Etzel underground site.
Last month INEOS Energy Trading chartered two 174,000-cu m newbuild LNG carriers from Mitsui OSK Lines to transport LNG to Germany from the US (OGJ Online, June 27, 2023). The company has a contract in place for long-term regasification capacity at NV Nederlandse Gasunie subsidiary CS Gas North SA’s planned land-based 8-bcmy German LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel. The companies plan to complete construction in 2026. The 170,000-cu m FSRU Hoegh Gannet currently provides regasification.
Earlier this year Hanseatic Energy Hub GMBH commissioned a consortium led by Técnicas Reunidas SA to develop its 13.3-bcmy land-based LNG terminal at Stade, expected to enter service in 2027 (OGJ Online, Apr. 18, 2023). The 174,000-cu m FSRU Transgas Force is currently stationed at the site.
Hoegh Esperanza (170,000-cu m) and Excelerate Excelsior (138,000-cu m) are stationed at Wilhelmshaven. Esperanza received its first cargo earlier in 2023. Excelerate last year chartered Excelsior to the German government for a 5-year term starting first-quarter 2023 (OGJ Online, Oct. 25, 2022).
