Pig’s Back to follow Barcelona template

VILNIUS - A liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the port of Klaipeda will most likely be built at Pig’s Back, a spot which is further away from residential neighborhoods in the city, reports news portal Jura. Pig’s Back has the quickest and most logical access to the Lithuanian gas trunk network.

Recently a group of professionals representing Klaipeda and Lithuania-based oil company Klaipedos Nafta visited Enagas’ liquefied natural gas terminal in Barcelona. “Barcelona is one of the most interesting examples of how a highly intensive shipping port of a very complex infrastructure is able to operate safely and successfully in close proximity to the historically valuable city center. Infrastructure and environmental solutions made in this port could be relevant to Klaipeda,” said Klaipedos Nafta Director General Rokas Masiulis.

The LNG terminal was built in Barcelona in 1969. Not a single accident has taken place yet. Next to it, chemical products handling terminals and a Ro-Ro cargo terminal operates. A cruise ship terminal is located nearby as well, welcoming about three million tourists a year.
Barcelona gas terminal has been upgraded several times and is still expanding. Currently, Enagas terminal’s annual capacity is 12 billion cubic meters of gas.

The Spanish stress that the Barcelona residents have never opposed the construction and expansion of the gas terminal because they understand that cheaper gas is the basis of economic prosperity.
The fact that Klaipeda was interested in the gas terminal in Barcelona, according to Masiulis, however, does not mean that the Spaniards will be the builders of the LNG terminal in Klaipeda nor that the Spanish technological expertise will be chosen. The Spaniards have offered such services themselves, though. This fact was mentioned by Jesus Saldana, head of the Planning and Strategy Department of the gas terminal operator Enagas in Barcelona.

Klaipedos Nafta has been commissioned to implement the LNG project. On Jan. 19 of this year, Rolandas Zukas was appointed director of the LNG terminal of Klaipedos Nafta company. Before being appointed to this position, Zukas ran Energijos Tiekimas, the subsidiary company of Lietuvos Energija. His duty now is to implement the preparation and construction of the LNG terminal project.

Still pushing its own terminal project, Latvian Saeima Budget and Finance Committee Chairman and head of the Latvian delegation to the Baltic Assembly, Janis Reirs (Unity), said on April 1 that Latvia is the most suitable place for construction of a liquefied gas terminal. This would also benefit Lithuania and Estonia, he believes.

The delegation met with Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (Unity) and discussed several energy and infrastructure development projects, including the construction of a liquefied gas terminal and the high-speed railroad Rail Baltica. The sides agreed that the Baltic States must achieve progress in these projects and the Baltic Assembly, in cooperation with the Baltic Council of Ministers, must agree on the location of the liquefied gas terminal. Reirs emphasized that the construction of it would facilitate Latvia’s energy independence.

Saeima Deputy Imants Paradnieks (All for Latvia-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK) pointed out that the location of a liquefied gas terminal must be “economically and geographically justified and Latvia is in a highly favorable position.”