Liquefied natural gas

Greece's state-controlled natural gas firm DEPA signed a cooperation agreement on Thursday with natural gas company Gastrade to participate in the development of a liquefied natural gas terminal in northern Greece, DEPA said.

Greece currently has one LNG terminal on Revythousa, an islet off Athens.

State-run Qatargas, the world's largest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), said on Sept. 20 that it had signed a medium-term sales and purchase agreement with Turkey's Botaş to deliver 1.5 million tons of LNG each year for three years.

The Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED) is preparing to hire advisers to explore the privatization of 10 port authorities in which it holds stakes.

Although the process relates to all 10 ports, sources suggest that the first to be sold will be that in Alexandroupoli as it has already attracted substantial interest domestically and internationally.

Croatia may hope that its ambitious LNG terminal on Krk will turn it into the region’s energy hub - but other countries cherish the same ambition.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc is looking to bring natural gas from Israel and Cyprus to market, a step that could help turn the Mediterranean region into a major gas-producing hub.

According to sources, Shell is in talks to buy natural gas from Israel’s Leviathan field and combine it with output from Cyprus’ Aphrodite field – in which has a 35% stake – and pump it to an LNG plant in Egypt.

By Charles Ellinas

Given the prospect of new gas discoveries in Cyprus’ EEZ, it is timely to review recent developments.

Floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) scored some notable successes so far in 2017, to the extent that the world may be witnessing a resurgence of this technology.

Novatek's Yamal liquefied natural gas (LNG) project will increase Russia's global natural gas exports by around 10 percent, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Anton Inyutsyn said on July 12.      

India will increase the share of natural gas to 20 percent in its energy mix by 2030, India's petroleum minister said on July 11 in Istanbul.      

Speaking at a ministerial session at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul, Petroleum Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said India is supporting investments to increase the share of natural gas in its energy mix.      

The American president will use the constantly increasing deliveries of American natural gas as negotiation tool at a meeting in Warsaw with dozen of leaders of countries dependent on Russia for energy.

Energy giant Qatar Petroleum is to launch a new project in the world's biggest gas field, boosting its output by up to 10 percent, it said on April 3.

The state-owned firm's chief Saad Al-Kaabi said it was ending a 12-year moratorium on new projects in the North Field, off the Gulf state's northern coast.