Indian H-Energy Hires FSRU from Engie
France's Engie has signed a charter agreement with Indian H-Energy for use of the floating storage re-gasification unit, GDF Suez Cape Ann, for operations at Jaigarh port in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, the company said April 25.
The FSRU has been chartered out to H-Energy for a period of five years and will arrive at the LNG jetty at Jaigarh port by 3Q 2018.
Strictly speaking, the agreement is a sub-charter as GDF Suez Cape Ann is owned by a consortium of Hoegh LNG Partners (50%), Mitsui OSK Lines (48.5%) and Tokyo Gas's subsidiary Tokyo LNG Tanker Co. Ltd (1.5%) which has chartered it to Engie for 20 years starting 2010, with options for two more five-year extensions.
The ship has a storage capacity of 145,000 m3 of LNG and maximum send-out capacity of 750mn ft3/d, according to Hoegh. Local reports indicated that the vessel would operate at roughly half that capacity, regasifying 4mn metric tons/yr. The FSRU is also capable of ship-to-ship transfers of LNG.
GDF Suez Cape Ann (Photo credit: Hoegh LNG Partners)
“All necessary studies for port operation such as navigation simulation, quantitative risk assessment have been carried out to ensure safe mooring of the LNG FSRU at the new jetty, bringing LNG carriers alongside the FSRU to allow ship-to-ship transfer,” said H-Energy CEO Darshan Hiranandani.
H-Energy has also awarded the contract for constructing its 60-km tie-in pipeline from Jaigarh port to Dabhol. The contract was awarded to Engineers India, one of the leading consultancy and contractor companies in India. The pipeline construction is expected to get completed by later this year. Work has started at Jaigarh port for the construction of jetty for the FSRU project.
H-Energy through its gas marketing company is sourcing LNG and will supply re-gasified LNG to downstream customers.
Shardul Sharma