Page 12 - GLNG Week 24 2022

GLNG AFRICA GLNG

Mauritius to finish soliciting expressions of

interest for LNG-to-power project

THE Central Electricity Board (CEB) of Mauri- value of the contract. Nor did it say how much
INVESTMENT tius will wrap up the process of accepting expres- LNG might be needed to meet the needs of the
sions of interest (EoIs) for an LNG-to-power power barge or where the LNG might be sourced.
contract this week, according to LNG Prime. It did note, though, that CEB was prepared to
The state-owned power provider invited consider proposals for the installation of barges
potential investors to submit proposals earlier that housed either simple-cycle or combined-cy-
this year, saying it would accept EoIs between cle gas-fired thermal power plants (TPPs).
May 10 and June 15, the news service said. It said It also noted that the utility, which supplies
CEB was seeking to work with a company that about 45% of the electricity consumed in Mau-
could install a natural gas-fired power barge with ritius, had conceived the LNG-to-power project
a generating capacity of up to 80-100 MW and as part of a wider move toward reducing carbon
an associated floating storage and regasification dioxide emissions in the energy sector. LNG is
unit (FSRU). The latter vessel would take delivery seen as a lower-carbon fuel than coal and resid-
of LNG, regasify it and transfer it to the power ual fuel oil, which currently account for 41% and
barge via ship-to-ship (STS) transfer so that it 39% of CEB’s total energy mix, it explained.
could be used to generate electricity, it explained. Power barges can also help Mauritius cover
CEB will expect the winner of the contract to expected increases in demand for electricity,
work with the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA) which could rise to as high as 641 MW by 2030,
to determine the best location for the power LNG Prime said. Marine-based LNG-to-power
barge and FSRU to make sure that the project solutions are a faster and more efficient option
does not affect the country’s maritime industry, it for meeting this need than capital-intensive and
said. Once the power barge is operational, it will time-consuming construction of new onshore
be able to establish a connection to CEB’s 66-kV TPPs, it commented.™
transmission network via existing substations at
an onshore location in St. George, it added.
LNG Prime did not disclose the expected
Petronas plans to expand investments in

LNG exports from Egypt to Europe

INVESTMENT MALAYSIA’S national oil company (NOC) Pet- Petronas’s recent interest to engage in Egypt
ronas is planning to take advantage of current is a sharp reversal from its position to fully exit
strong demand for liquified natural gas (LNG) from its exploration and LNG partnership with
exports from Egypt to Europe following the Shell in the country, first reported by Cyprus-
European Union’s decision to invest in diversi- based MEES in March. Petronas also has a 50%
fying natural gas imports away from Russia due stake in two offshore exploration blocks in the
the conflict in Ukraine. declining West Delta Marine offshore project.
A large delegation headed by Petronas Presi- Egypt is one of the few countries that com-
dent and Group CEO Tengku Muhammad met bines all the competitive elements such as the
with Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Tarek El abundance of natural gas resources, a unique
Molla to discuss making additional investments location and huge infrastructure, which makes
in LNG export opportunities in Egypt. Petronas it a pivotal country regionally in the trade and
has a joint-operator stakes of 35.5% and 38% transport of LNG supplies from the eastern Med-
respectively at trains 1 and 2, each with a capac- iterranean to Europe.™
ity of 3.6mn tonnes per year (tpy), of the LNG
export terminal at Idku, Rosetta.

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 24 17•June•2022