Total-led consortium to build and operate LNG re-gasification terminal in Ivory Coast

The Total-led CI-GNL (Ivory Coast LNG) consortium has won the rights to build and operate a liquefied natural gas (LNG) re-gasification terminal in the Ivory Coast.

The decision announced by the Government of the Ivory Coast follows the signing of shareholders’ agreement in Abidjan.

The agreement was signed between Total, PetroCI (11%), CI Energies (5%), SOCAR (26%), Shell (13%), Golar (6%) and Endeavor Energy (5%).

Total will operate the re-gasification terminal project with a 34% interest.

The terminal has a capacity of three million tonnes per year and will be used by the company to supply LNG volumes from its global portfolio in proportion to its participating interest in the LNG project.

Total gas, renewables and power president Philippe Sauquet said: “This project illustrates Total's strategy to develop new gas markets by unlocking access to LNG for fast-growing economies.

“Working closely with our partners enabled us to put together an integrated proposal combining LNG supply and import infrastructure through a floating storage and re-gasification unit.

“We are very pleased to have been selected by the Ivorian authorities to manage this project, which will meet growing domestic and regional needs for gas and power.”

Expected to become operational by mid-2018, the project involves construction of a terminal with a floating storage and re-gasification unit (FSRU) in the Vridi, Abidjan area.

A pipeline will also be constructed, linking the FSRU to existing and planned power plants in Abidjan, as well as to regional markets connected to the Ivorian network.

With the new pipeline in place, Ivory Coast will become the first regional LNG import hub in West Africa and meet both regional and domestic demand.