Egypt Defers Tender for 3rd FSRU: Reports

Egypt's petroleum minister Tarek el Molla told local newspaper Al Borsa December 1 that a tender for a third floating LNG import terminal (FSRU) has been deferred, because the country no longer needs it, according to Reuters and other media. The FSRU had been due for deployment in June 2017.

The country has two FSRUs already in operation, on charter from shipowners Hoegh LNG and BW Gas to state gas importer Egas. Reports did not say until when the tender had been deferred. One possibility is that it may have been shelved indefinitely; however NGW has been unable to confirm this.

New fields under development offshore the Nile Delta will transform Egypt's gas production over the coming few years. First up is the Eni-operated Zohr field starting in late 2017, due to produce 1bn ft³/d initially then be expanded in phases to some 2.8bn ft³/d by 2019/2020. There is also the Eni-led Greater Nooros and other fields operated by BP in the West Nile Delta, onstream by 2020. Siemens is building three giant gas-fired power complexes each of 4.4 GW for the state electricity utility.

Hoegh Gallant and BW Singapore, the two FSRUs (floating storage and regasification units) already on charter to Egyptian state Egas at the Red Sea port of Ain Sokhna (Photo credit: Hoegh LNG)

Mark Smedley