Algeria: Skikda LNG plant back in service

Algeria’s Skikda LNG export plant has reportedly come back on stream following a two-month shutdown for maintenance. 

First cargoes from the facility, that was shut down for two months mostly due to a drop in LNG exports to Spain during August due to lower demand, were shipped last week, Platts reports.

The final cargo from the Sonatrach’s 4.7 mtpa export plant was shipped on July 11 before the mid-July maintenance started.

The first cargo to leave the plant following the maintenance completion was Cheikh Bouamama followed by Cheikh el Mokrani, each loading 45 million cubic meters of gas equivalent.

The first vessel delivered its cargo to Elengy-operated Fos Cavaou LNG terminal in France with the second cargo expected to be delivered to Spain’s Sagunto terminal on Friday.

Since September 1, 2015, the plant delivered about 2 billion cubic meters of gas to the Spanish market, accounting for 15 percent of the country’s total imports of 13.3 bcm during the past year, according to the report.

Despite the Skikda two-month maintenance, Algeria’s LNG exports are at the same level with 2015 volumes.

LNG World News Staff