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2008 Issues Archive
26 November 2008
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Gas import terminal expands its capacity
The Isle of Grain’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal is ramping up to provide extra capacity before gas demand increases during the winter.
National Grid has completed the second expansion phase of the Kent terminal at a cost of £355 million. It will provide an extra 6.5 million tonnes of capacity a year in addition to the 3.3 million tonnes the terminal already supplies.
The terminal received a delivery from the largest LNG cargo vessel ever to arrive in the UK earlier this month, which contained almost 50 million therms of LNG, enough to supply 4.5 million homes for a week. The LNG was piped onshore and into three storage tanks, which have combined capacity to supply 12% of the UK’s gas demand. National Grid said it needs to take three deliveries to fully commission the phase-two expansion of the site.
Domestic production from the North Sea is continuing to decline, so the UK will need to import 50% of its gas by 2010. It is hoped that the additional LNG storage capacity will fill a large part of the supply gap.
Peter Boreham, National Grid’s director of UK LNG, said: “In less than two years this country will need to be importing more than half of its gas needs, so it’s vital that we have modern importation facilities.
“The terminal expansion allows for more security and diversity in gas supplies for the UK. With the phase-three expansion already under way we will have the capacity to provide 20% of UK demand in 2010.”
The third phase of the expansion will provide a further 5 million tonnes of annual capacity.
Natural gas is chilled to a liquid state at -161°C where it occupies 600 times less space, making it easier to transport.
© PE Publishing, 26 November 2008
