Page 7 - MEOG Week 38 2022

MEOG PIPELINES & TRANSPORT MEOG

Germany aims to sign LNG

supply deals with UAE

UAE GERMANY’S Economic Affairs and Climate has ripped open.”
Action Minister Robert Habeck said on Septem- Habeck mentioned during the press confer-
ber 19 that Chancellor Olaf Scholz was set to sign ence that he had discussed LNG supplies during
contracts for LNG supplies during an upcoming his own trip to Qatar and the UAE in March of
trip to the UAE. this year but did not elaborate. Reuters noted
Speaking during a trip to Lubmin, where new in May, citing sources who spoke on condition
LNG import facilities will be built in the near of anonymity, that Germany and Qatar had
future, Habeck said the UAE could help Ger- not been able to come to terms on LNG sup-
many diversify its slate of natural gas suppliers. plies because of disagreements over key issues,
He also voiced confidence in Berlin’s chances of including the duration of supply contracts.
securing a deal. “The gas offering is slowly broad- In Lubmin, an industrial port, private Ger-
ening ... The chancellor is traveling next week to man investors are working to upgrade existing
the UAE and will certainly be able to sign some facilities so that they can accommodate smaller
contracts for LNG there,” he told reporters. shuttle tankers capable of transferring LNG from
He did not say how much LNG Germany was larger tankers floating offshore to onshore pipe-
looking to buy from the UAE but indicated that line networks. Shipments may begin as early as
Scholz would discuss the matter while in Dubai. December.
The chancellor is due to begin a state visit to three Eventually, Lubmin – which is also where the
Middle Eastern countries – Saudi Arabia, Qatar Nord Stream 1 pipeline network, built to import
and the UAE – next weekend and will be in the gas from Russia, which has now taken it off line
UAE on September 24-25, he noted during a in retaliation for the European Union’s support
press conference. of oil sanctions – will be home to a higher-ca-
All three countries are potential sources of pacity LNG import facility that requires fewer
gas, the minister added. “[The] government is transshipments.
permanently in talks with many countries, also The German government is sponsoring the
with nations on the Arabian Peninsula,” he said. construction of a floating storage and regasifi-
He continued: “[It’s] not only the UAE. It’s cation unit (FSRU) there, and Scholz said earlier
other countries, African countries. In that way, this month that the unit would come on stream
we’ll close the hole that the lack of Russian gas by the end of next year.™

Week 38 21•September•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P7