Grain LNG expansion now on stream
3 Dec 2010
Isle of Grain, UK – National Grid has started commercial operations at the second capacity expansion of its Isle of Grain LNG importation facility.
Following the arrival of the first commissioning cargo of LNG on 29 Oct, the commissioning process has been completed in just over a month, delivering a 50% increase in terminal capacity for the start of winter.
The expansion provides capacity for new customers E.ON Ruhrgas and Iberdrola, together with additional capacity for existing customer Centrica.
The project takes National Grid’s overall investment in Grain LNG, which now has the capacity to supply around 20% of UK demand, or up to12 million houses per day.
Grain has the largest tank capacity of any terminal in the UK with total LNG storage availability of one million cubic metres, equivalent to more than two days’ worth of average UK gas demand.
The new second unloading jetty, capable of berthing and unloading Q-Max vessels, the largest available LNG carriers in the world, ensures National Grid continues to pioneer the way as Britain’s first and largest modern LNG importation terminal.
National Grid is planning a further phase of expansion at the terminal with a number of interested parties through an open season process. Timescales and capacity will depend on final market interest, but additional capacity could be available from winter 2015/16.
Grain operates as one terminal but each phase has added new customers and additional capacity:
Phase 1: Customers – BP, Sonatrach; Plant capacity –normal operation - 3.3 mtpa, 4.4 bcm/yr, 140 GWh/day; LNG tank volume - 200,000 cubic metres
Phase 2: Customers - Centrica, GDF-Suez and Sonatrach; Plant capacity–normal operation - 6.5 mtpa, 8.6 bcm/yr, 274 GWh/day / LNG tank volume -600,000 cubic metres
Phase 3: Customers - Centrica, E.ON Ruhrgas and Iberdrola; Plant capacity–normal operation 5.0 mtpa, 6.7 bcm/yr, 236 GWh/day - 200,000 cubic metres
Total: Plant capacity –normal operation - 14.8 million tonnes LNG per annum, 19.7 billion cubic metres of gas per year, 650 GWh/day; LNG tank volume - One million cubic metres
The latest expansion at Grain LNG terminal enhances the UK’s ability to secure gas from diverse sources, giving the capacity to bring in another 6.7 billion cubic metres of gas per year, noted Peter Boreham, National Grid’s director of UK LNG.
“It’s been a great achievement to deliver such a major investment to time and to budget, while still meeting the daily operational needs of our existing customers,” said Boreham.
“With discussions about a further phase of the terminal continuing in a very positive way, it cements our position as the UK’s leading LNG importation terminal with a great track record of delivering what we promise,” he added.
National Grid Grain LNG provides open access to the UK gas market, Europe’s largest, as well as the mainland European market and is an independent operator with no gas market interests.
Energy minister Charles Hendry commented: “This Government is committed to ensuring we keep the lights on, and having diverse supplies is crucial to this.
“The UK still has substantial oil and gas resources, but projects like this also give us access to LNG from as far afield as Algeria, Qatar, Trinidad, and even from Australia.”
