A memorandum on cooperation of Gazprom Export and Gasunie in small scale LNG is signed
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Following discussions during the St. Petersburg Economic Forum in June 2012 Gazprom Export (Russia) and Gasunie (the Netherlands) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of development of small scale liquid natural gas LNG. The Memorandum was signed by Alexander Medvedev, General Director of “Gazprom Export LLC” and Paul van Gelder, Chairman of the Executive Board, CEO of Gasunie.
The signed document aims to establish cooperation between the companies in promoting the utilization of infrastructure for the loading of smaller parcels of liquefied natural gas for transport by sea and/or land and the usage of LNG as a fuel for bunkering for marine and river transport. With this cooperation Gazprom may also become a potential customer of the open-access breaking bulk terminal which is planned to be developed near Rotterdam. The purpose is to make LNG available for distribution to marine bunkering and truck fuelling stations. In this way LNG can be used as a clean alternative transport fuel.
Gasunie participates in the development of this LNG Break Bulk services as an independent, open access infrastructure provider.
“The vast experience in the field of LNG production and supply as well as a possibility to realise some new large scale projects in this sphere will enable our companies to enlarge their joint contribution for the European gas market”, said Alexander Medvedev.
“This Memorandum is a next step in the cooperation between Gasunie and Gazprom Group. The development of small-scale LNG is important because of the superior environmental benefits of LNG as a motor fuel for both ships and trucks. LNG as a transport fuel is a solution for the transport sector which, in particular for shipping, will be confronted with stringent EU emission requirements as of 2015. I am very happy that we can work together with Gazprom Group in developing this opportunity”, said Paul van Gelder.
Gazprom and Gasunie have worked together for several years in different fields as part of a scientific-technological cooperation programme.
Background
Gazprom Export is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Gazprom, which specializes in natural gas delivery to foreign countries. Its product portfolio also includes oil and oil products, gas condensate, sulfur, liquefied hydrocarbon gases, black carbon and oil & gas chemicals. Germany, Turkey, Italy, France and Poland are among its main customers.
Gazprom Export also operates in new fields, is actively mastering markets in other continents, primarily in Asia. System of oil-linked long-term contracts is the basis of natural gas trade in Europe which allows not only to accommodate the interest of investors but equally to protect the interests of the buyers. Most European supplies are carried out on the basis of contracts with duration of 25 years and more. In 2011 the export volume was 150 bcm.
Gasunie is a European gas infrastructure company. Gasunie’s network ranks among the largest high pressure gas pipeline grids in Europe, consisting of over 15,000 kilometres of pipeline in the Netherlands and northern Germany, dozens of installations and approximately 1,300 gas receiving stations. The annual gas throughput totals around 125 billion cubic metres. Gasunie offers transport services via its subsidiaries Gas Transport Services B.V. (GTS) in the Netherlands and Gasunie Deutschland in Germany. The company also offers other services in the gas infrastructure field, including gas storage, LNG and certification of green gas through its subsidiary, Vertogas.