LNG Croatia Intends to Buy FSRU in 1Q
LNG Croatia, the state-owned project company, has provided details about its recent tender for a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) to be installed at Krk island. The deadline for submission of offers of FSRUs in the tender was Friday October 6.
LNG Croatia received 12 requests to participate in relation to delivery of the FSRU for Krk, it told NGW by email October 24.
"LNG Croatia will purchase the FSRU vessel, chartering is not envisaged for this project. Selection of the FSRU provider is envisaged for 1Q 2018," it said in response to an NGW question about when it would make its selection.
It declined to name the companies that participated in the tender, or the expected cost of the vessel.
The original tender set a deadline of September 29, but this was later extended to October 6. The company is also soliciting operation and maintenance services for the vessel, in addition to provision of the vessel itself. LNG Croatia CEO Goran Francic indicated in July that the company was seeking a FSRU capable of regasifying between 1.6 and 2.3bn m3/yr, but that it “doesn’t want to close the door on anybody” and that this could be negotiable.
A final investment decision would not take effect until 1Q 2018, he added, with scheduled start-up expected to be in 2020. Francic's predecessor said mid-2016 he hoped for start-up in 2018. Hungary has voiced scepticism about Croatia's ability to deliver the project and requisite export pipe capacity.
Update late October: A 30-day public consultation process on an Environmental Impact Study for LNG Croatia, including its switch from a previously onshore project to one based on floating (FSRU) technology, was initiated October 13 by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy, according to this page on LNG Croatia's website.
Mark Smedley