Page 9 - GLNG Week 12 2022

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Germany targets LNG supplies from Qatar

POLICY GERMANY is turning to Qatar for LNG as not in the future,” Habeck was separately quoted
it pivots away from Russian natural gas in the as saying by the DPA news agency. “It starts like
wake of the war in Ukraine. Following a visit this – so he who has ears should start to listen,” he
to Qatar over the weekend of March 19-20, added, in a comment aimed at Russian President
German Minister of Economy Robert Habeck Vladimir Putin.
described a deal between the two countries as a Until the new LNG import capacity comes
“door opener”. online in Germany, the country will not be able Further progress
Habeck did not provide details of the quan- to receive LNG directly. Illustrating the urgency
tities and other terms under discussion. There of moves to lessen dependence on Russian gas, came this week
were also some contradictory reports over the earlier this month German state-owned bank
status of discussions, with Germany saying a deal KfW and Dutch utility Gasunie signed a mem- when German
had been finalised, but Qatar stopping short of orandum of understanding (MoU) on the con-
this. struction of the German LNG Terminal project LNG Terminal said
State-owned QatarEnergy said that previ- in Brunsbüttel. Gasunie said at the time that it it had signed an
ous discussions between Germany and Qatar expected to break ground on the facility later this
had failed to bear fruit owing to a lack of long- year. MoU with Shell
term clarity about the role of gas in Germa- Further progress came this week when Ger-
ny’s energy mix, and the LNG infrastructure man LNG Terminal said it had signed an MoU on the import of
required to support it. But the company added with Shell on the import of LNG through the
that the situation had changed, noting Ger- planned facility. Under the MoU, Shell will book LNG.
many’s efforts to expedite two LNG import a “substantial” part of the terminal’s import
terminals. It said that as a result, the two sides capacity on a long-term basis. The announce-
had agreed to re-engage in discussions via their ment added that both parties were now working
commercial entities. towards a binding agreement on the scope and
“The good news” is that LNG from Qatar will duration of their partnership, which they are
be provided to Germany, Habeck said in a video aiming to complete as soon as possible.
posted on Twitter. “Now it’s up to the companies The terminal is expected to have the capac-
to set up contracts,” he added. ity to import 8bn cubic metres per year of nat-
“We might still need Russian gas this year, but ural gas.™

Week 12 25•March•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P9