Dunkirk LNG to start commercial operations by year end

France’s fourth liquefied natural gas import terminal in the port of Dunkirk is expected to begin commercial operations by the end of the year. 

TS LNG, a consortium made up of SENER and Techint, that built the LNG terminal, is continuing its industrial trials, Dunkerque LNG said in its statement.

Sylvain Ringot, technical director of Dunkerque LNG, said the commissioning process has faced difficulties.

He reminded of the incident on July 26, when “some LNG was sent by mistake into the BOG circuits and a small amount flowed as far as the base of the flare, causing a fire.”

He added that the incident was due to a malfunction of level sensors.

Additionally, following the incident, the high-pressure BOG compressor, the equipment that makes it possible to send extra gas across the network, was started and the flare, which was working until August 12, is now extinguished.

The next step TS LNG is set to take is to send gas through the network under normal working conditions.

Dunkirk LNG received its second commissioning cargo on September 15, aboard Teekay’s 140,500-cbm LNG carrier Hispania Spirit.

The terminal will have an annual regasification capacity of 13 billion cbm of gas, enough to cover about 20 percent of France and Belgium’s yearly gas consumption.

Dunkirk LNG is 65 percent owned by EDF, 25 percent by Fluxys and 10 percent by Total.

LNG World News Staff