LNG for Czechia flowing from Dutch terminal into gas network

Prague/Eemshaven, Netherlands, Sept 23 (CTK) - The first liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment for Czechia was unloaded from a tanker to a terminal in the port of Eemshaven, the Netherlands, and gas has started flowing into the network, David Benes, CEO of Czech energy group CEZ, tweeted today.

The first tanker with 170,000 cubic metres of LNG for the Czech Republic, that is 100 million cubic metres of gas, arrived at the port on September 19.

The Gaslog Georgetown tanker arrived in the Netherlands from the US terminal Sabine Pass, which it left on August 23.

LNG was produced by Cheniere, the largest US producer and exporter of LNG.

Further two tankers will arrive in October, and then deliveries will continue with two to three ships a month, said Benes.

It is an important step for energy security of the Czech Republic and a safeguard against any potential gas outages, said Benes.

The Czech Republic has leased three billion cubic metres at the terminal, which means a total of 30 tankers will be needed. The terminal will help significantly reduce Czechia’s dependence on gas from Russia. The supplies will cover up to a third of the country's annual gas consumption. Last year, it exceeded nine billion cubic metres.

CEZ buys each LNG shipment at spot prices. The lease itself will cost tens of millions of euros a year. Apart from CEZ, the floating terminal will be used by Shell and French company Engie. The terminal is owned by Gasunie, a company also operating the Dutch gas network.

vr/er