First US shale gas arrives in Europe

Ineos has announced that the Ineos Intrepid vesel has arrived at its petrochemicals plant at Rafnes in Norway, carrying 27 500 m³ of US shale gas ethane.

This marks the first time that ethane from US shale gas has ever been exported from the US and the first time it has been imported into Europe.

Jim Ratcliffe, the Chairman and Founder of Ineos, said: “Shale gas economics has revitalised US manufacturing, it has the potential to do the same for European manufacturing.”

Ineos said that it has invested US$2 billion to bring US shale gas to Europe. The company has built the two largest ethane gas storage tanks in Europe at Rafnes in Norway and Grangemouth in Scotland.

Ineos will use the ethane from US shale gas in its two gas crackers at Rafnes and Grangemouth, both as a fuel and as a feedstock. It is expected that shipments to Grangemouth will start later this year.

Mr Ratcliffe added: “We are nearing the end of a hugely ambitious project that has taken us five years and cost US$2 billion, as we begin supply of ethane from shale to our sites in Europe. This is a world first and I am incredibly proud of everyone involved in it. I believe that Ineos is one of very companies in the world who could have successfully pulled this off.”

Edited from press release by Callum O'Reilly

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/24032016/first-us-shale-gas-arrives-in-europe-2178/