JAPEX Begins Construction of LNG Terminal at Soma Port

Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. (JAPEX) on Thursday started construction of LNG terminal in Shinchi Town, Fukushima Prefecture (Soma Port), the company said in a statement.

JAPEX is also preparing to construct a connecting pipeline to convey vaporized LNG gas from the terminal to its main trunk pipeline. The company is supplying natural gas produced domestically in Niigata, Yamagata and Akita prefectures, as well as vaporized LNG gas received from overseas, to users in the production areas and to those in other areas through its pipeline network, which includes the Niigata-Sendai Pipeline and Sh iroishi-Koriyama Pipeline.

JAPEX is also supplying LNG in liquid form to users through LNG satellite stations utilizing freight containers and tank trucks.

The company has acquired a 10 percent interest in a natural gas development and production project in British Columbia, Canada, and a 10 percent interest in the Pacific NorthWest LNG Project.

The project partners are working toward beginning operation at the liquefaction plant by the end of 2018, JAPEX said. Under this project, JAPEX will offtake 10 percent (1.2 million tons) of the LNG at the plant (about 12 million tons per annum) and use it as one of the LNG sources to be received at the Soma LNG receiving terminal, which will be put in to operation in March 2018.