Having received governmental approval, EmiratesLNG will construct and operate an onshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification plant on the UAE’s east coast in Fujairah. The facility is due to be the first of its type in the Middle East.
After the Abu Dhabi Executive Council gave the go-ahead for the project, EmiratesLNG, a joint venture between International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) and Mubadala Petroleum, will now push ahead with the project. The company did not disclose a completion date and cost estimate, nor did they supply information on which company would receive the construction contract, although the front end engineering design (FEED) has been undertaken by the French company Technip.
The dual venture was originally formed to provide extra gas supplies to meet growing energy demand from the expanding UAE economy.
A key Middle East player
Ahmed Matar Al Mazrouei, CEO of EmiratesLNG, said "EmiratesLNG will seize this opportunity to establish itself as a key player in the Middle East within the global LNG market. The establishment of EmiratesLNG and its operation in the years to come is a significant contribution to the delivery of sustainable, secure, clean gas, helping ensure a prosperous future for the UAE.
“With support and cooperation from our stakeholders, we look forward to serving our customers when we commence operation of the largest LNG re-gasification facility in the region."
Once the regasification facility has been completed, Emirates LNG will import of LNG cargos from the international market. The facility will be capable of supplying 1.2 billion ft3/d of natural gas, which will be used primarily for power generation.
Edited from various sources by Ted Monroe