German LNG terminals holding regasification capacity auctions

Deutsche Energy Terminal GMBH (DET)—responsible for operating and marketing the capacities of the four floating LNG terminals on the German North Sea coast—is holding its first auction for regasification capacities (including storage and send-out) at the terminals it operates.

In two digital auction rounds starting on Oct. 16, 2023, and Oct. 23, 2023, market players will be able to acquire rights for short-term capacities in 2024 at the Brunsbüttel (3.5 billion cu m/year (bcmy) initial send-out capacity) and Wilhelmshaven 1 (6 bcmy) terminals, respectively. Further auctions for short-term capacities at the Stade (6 bcmy) and Wilhelmshaven 2 terminals (4 bcmy) are planned for December 2023. The marketing of long-term capacities (more than 1 year) is planned for April 2024. 

Phases 1 and 2 at Brunsbüttel will be constrained to 3.5 bcmy by infrastructural bottlenecks. Phase 3—the timing of which is still evolving—will expand send out to 7.5 bcmy.

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 (OGJ Online, July 18, 2023).