Uniper to reconsider plans for LNG terminal in Germany

LNG Terminal Wilhelmshaven GmbH (LTeW), a subsidiary of German firm Uniper, is reconsidering plans for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Wilhelmshaven in Germany.

LTeW is a 100% owned subsidiary of Uniper.

As market players are hesitant in the current market conditions to make ‘binding bookings’ for the terminal’s import capacities, the company decided to re-evaluate previous plans for the terminal.

Uniper project manager Oliver Giese said: “Economic uncertainties have definitely played a role in the current circumstances. Many companies don’t want to make long-term commitments at the moment.

“The results of the expression-of-interest procedure show that we need to revise the scope and focus of the planned terminal to ensure that it remains attractive to market players and economically predictable for LTeW and Uniper.”

The Wilhemshaven LNG terminal is designed to be a floating regasification and storage unit (FSRU) with a nominal capacity of 9.78 billion cubic meters per annum (bcm/a).

LTeW planned to develop within the next five years.

Uniper noted that the project sponsor is already considering several ‘new options’ for using the LNG terminal site as an import port for ‘environmentally friendly gas’.

Using the Wilhelmshaven site for hydrogen imports would also be a possibility in the long term, said Uniper.

Uniper CEO Andreas Schierenbeck said: “LNG is a growth market and natural gas is playing a bigger and bigger part in ensuring security of supply and in decarbonising the global energy system. This is why Uniper is committed to ensuring a secure supply of LNG both now and in the future.

“But it’s also clear that all considerations must meet the same strict economic criteria. We will now discuss all this in depth with those who, like me, consider the development of such an import terminal in Germany to be a fascinating idea and will continue to support it.”

In May, Canadian oil and gas exploration firm Pieridae Energy negotiated extensions to the key deadlines of its long-term deal with Uniper for the planned Golboro LNG export project in Nova Scotia, Canada.