Today at the Zeebrugge LNG reception terminal a celebration was held to welcome the first ship to dock under the long-term contracts signed with Qatar: for the period 2007-2026 an annual capacity of 7.2 billion cubic metres of natural gas has been booked at the terminal for imports from Qatar.
The Interconnector is operated by Interconnector UK and has curently a capacity of 20 million m³(n)/year in forward flow (Bacton-UK -> Zeebrugge-B) and 8.5 billion m³(n)/year in reverse flow (Zeebrugge-B -> Bacton-UK) The UK is expected to become a net importer of gas as early as 2005/2006 as domestic production falls below domestic consumption. By 2010, it is expected to import up to 60 billion m³(n) of natural gas, which represents up to one third of its total gas needs. In order to meet such predicted increase in demand from the UK market, the Interconnector operator has recently decided to add further compression capacity at the Interconnector Zeebrugge Terminal (IZT). This would increase the Interconnector's reverse flow capacity between Zeebrugge and Bacton to 16.5 billion m³(n) per year, enabling transport of an additional 8 billion m³(n) per year of natural gas into the UK market. This reverse flow capacity can be increased by a further 6 billion m³(n)/year by adding 2 additional compressors.
The Interconnector is operated by Interconnector UK and has curently a capacity of 20 million m³(n)/year in forward flow (Bacton-UK -> Zeebrugge-B) and 8.5 billion m³(n)/year in reverse flow (Zeebrugge-B -> Bacton-UK)
The UK is expected to become a net importer of gas as early as 2005/2006 as domestic production falls below domestic consumption. By 2010, it is expected to import up to 60 billion m³(n) of natural gas, which represents up to one third of its total gas needs.
In order to meet such predicted increase in demand from the UK market, the Interconnector operator has recently decided to add further compression capacity at the Interconnector Zeebrugge Terminal (IZT).
This would increase the Interconnector's reverse flow capacity between Zeebrugge and Bacton to 16.5 billion m³(n) per year, enabling transport of an additional 8 billion m³(n) per year of natural gas into the UK market. This reverse flow capacity can be increased by a further 6 billion m³(n)/year by adding 2 additional compressors.
Considering the strategic location of the terminal, Fluxys LNG launched in early 2003 an open season market survey for LNG companies to express interest in booking capacity as from 2007. As a result of this market campaign, an overall capacity of approximately 9 billion cubic metres per year has been booked at the terminal as from 2007. In order to meet this demand, Fluxys LNG has decided to invest €165 million in doubling the terminal's throughput capacity.
As a result of this market campaign, an overall capacity of approximately 9 billion cubic metres per year has been booked at the terminal as from 2007. In order to meet this demand, Fluxys LNG has decided to invest €165 million in doubling the terminal's throughput capacity.
