According to Hrvoje Krhen, CEO of LNG Hrvatska, the operator of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the Krk island, the capacity of the terminal will be increased to 6.1 billion cubic meters of gas, which double the current capacity, by summer 2024.
Back in August, the Croatian Government made a decision to expand the capacity of the LNG terminal, as well as the capacity expansion of gas pipeline between Zlobin and Bosiljevo, whereby a total investment of 180 million euros is foreseen, of which 25 million must be invested in the LNG terminal itself, and 155 million for the new gas pipeline. The Government justified this decision by increasing security of supply and reducing dependence on gas imports from Russia.
Krhen explained that the terminal’s capacity will be increased by adding another gasification unit to the existing floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), which will increase the maximum gasification capacity to 700,000 cubic meters per hour.
The contract for the construction of a new gasification unit should be agreed soon, with the expected delivery date is 18 months after the signing of the contract. It is expected that the unit should be installed on the FSRU during the summer of 2024. Krhen added that, since the conversion of the ship LNG Croatia from an LNG tanker to a FSRU was done in China, it is likely that the Chinese will also provide the new gasification unit.
In parallel with the installation of an additional gasification unit, natural gas transmission system operator Plinacro should provide transport capacities for double the amount of gas on the section from Zlobin to Bosiljevo. The gas pipeline from the LNG terminal to Zlobin has sufficient capacity, but the 58 kilometers long section to Bosiljevo is problematic.
Plinacro confirms that their part of the project includes the construction of a new gas pipeline on the section, which will enable better pressure conditions in the Lucko node, and thus receiving additional gas volumes from the terminal. Plinacro has already taken all the necessary actions that precede the construction permit, which was issued at the end of October this year, so that all other procedures could be accelerated, from the initiation of the public procurement procedure for the pipes, the procedure for the procurement of the associated equipment, to the resolution of property-legal relations on the Zlobin – Bosiljevo section of the pipeline.
