PGNiG Hires Carriers for US LNG
Polish gas firm PGNiG has chartered two LNG carriers (LNGCs) from Norway's Knutsen for carrying US LNG, the company said on November 3.
The LNGCs will each be able to carry some 174,000 m3 of LNG, equivalent to 100mn m3 of gas after regasification. They will be brought into service in 2023, coinciding with the launch of the Calcasieu Pass LNG export terminal in Louisiana, operated by Venture Global LNG.
PGNiG, which imports gas at the Swinoujscie facility in northern Poland, has contracts in place for 1mn metric tons/year of LNG from Calcasieu Pass and a further 2.5mn mt/yr from Venture Global's Plaquemines terminal subject to final investment decision. Overall, its planned import portfolio includes 9.3bn m³/yr of US gas supply, on top of its long-term contracts with Qatar.
PGNiG will charter the Knutsen vessels for 10 years. The company buys most of its gas from Russia, but has vowed not to renew its supply contract with Gazprom once it expires after 2022. It wants to replace Russian gas with LNG and also piped gas from Norway. PGNiG has just requested talks with Gazprom to renegotiate the gas price under their current contract.