Ukraine still interested in Klaipeda LNG terminal use

Ukraine's state-owned gas transmission system operator GTSOU and its Lithuanian counterpart Amber Grid will further explore co-operation centred on possible Ukrainian use of the 2.9mn t/yr Klaipeda LNG terminal.

Ukraine's acting energy minister Olga Buslavets and Lithuanian energy minister Zygimantas Vaichunas discussed the topic last week. Ukraine using terminal capacity has been discussed since at least 2017, but no agreement has so far materialised.

Ukraine is also working on a deal with the US government that could result in 6bn-8bn m³/yr of US LNG being delivered to Poland's 3.9mn t/yr Swinoujscie terminal for subsequent injection into Ukrainian storage and re-export to European markets. As part of the agreement, Ukraine is to invest in US production and transport companies.

Other land-locked countries in the region have also sought to secure access to LNG terminals in the area, including Bulgaria and Hungary.

Ukraine using Klaipeda terminal capacity may either require a swap arrangement involving Russian gas or would have to wait for completion of the Gas Interconnection Poland-Lithuania (GIPL), which is expected to be commissioned by December 2021.

Klaipeda sendout has been quick so far this year (see graph). The terminal is currently used by five companies and terminal operator Klaipedos Nafta is offering slots equivalent to 44.4 TWh/yr for October 2020-September 2021 until 25 May, it said last month. Most cargoes delivered to the terminal are from Norway, although the facility received its first US LNG cargo of the year yesterday. The tanker was diverted towards Lithuania after it had initially been expected to deliver to the UK last month.

By Iryna Dubrova and Paul Martin

LNG sendout quickens