The Dunkirk LNG terminal in France is owned and operated by Dunkerque LNG, an EDF subsidiary.
The parties involved in the project are Dunkerque LNG, Dunkerque Port and GRTgaz. The terminal will be built by Dunkerque LNG. Preliminary work, including digging the outer harbour and developing a platform for it, will be carried out by Dunkerque Port. Gas transmission network operator GRTgaz will connect the terminal to the French gas network.
The final investment decision for the project will be made in 2010. The project is yet to get regulatory approvals and call tenders for construction.
The terminal will have facilities such as a berthing station with the hosting capacity of around 80 LNG tankers a year, unloading system and storage facilities. It also includes a regasification unit and a seawater inlet to reheat the LNG, and a connection to distribution network.
The terminal will have a regasification capacity in the range of 10-13 billion cubic metres a year. This capacity accounts for over 20% of French natural gas demand.
“The terminal will have a regasification capacity in the range of 10-13 billion cubic metres a year.”
The first phase of the project is scheduled to start in 2014. The project will incur overall capital expenditure of around €770m and will provide employment to about 1,200 people. The life of the terminal is expected to be 50 years.
EDF is looking for partners to reserve regasification capacity in the terminal. Total recently announced that it will keep regasification capacity in the LNG terminal, cuurently being developed by Dunkerque LNG. Total will also acquire interest in the company.
Dunkirk LNG terminal construction and infrastructure
The construction of the terminal is consequent to EDF’s objective to strengthen and secure gas capacity. EDF wants to supply gas to its plants, and market electricity and natural gas. Following approval for construction in April 2010, it will soon begin and is expected to be completed in 2013. It will be built in Grand Harbour Marine Dunkerque on the Common Loon-Plage.
The LNG will be transported to storage tanks by methane tankers equipped with reinforced hulls and double-walled tanks.
“The Dunkirk LNG terminal will provide employment to about 1,200 people.”
The berth installed at the terminal will be used for the mooring of methane tankers equipped with an LNG unloading system. A regasification unit will open rack vaporisers. Pipelines to transfer the LNG and two or three LNG storage tanks with the capacity of 190,000m³ will also be installed.
A supply tunnel will be developed to facilitate tepid water from the nuclear plant for the regasification of LNG.
The terminal will be designed to re-introduce boil off gas without burning the gas into flare.
Two options have been planned for the project and will be utilised based on the demand for capacity. Option one for annual output of 10bcm involves two tanks with a storage capacity of 380,000m³, one jetty and network delivering capacity of 1.4m³/h.
“Dunkirk was selected as the appropriate site for developing the LNG terminal by EDF in 2005.”
Option two would result in an annual output of 13bcm. It will include three 570,000m³ storage tanks and one jetty. The network delivering capacity will be 1.9m³/h.
The terminal is expected to consume 40MW of power. Its connection to the power grid is also planned to run from Grande Synthe substation. It will be connected via a 90kV buried electricity line. The connection will flow in parts via the Dunkirk Port area.
LNG terminal site
Dunkirk was selected as the appropriate site for developing the LNG terminal by EDF in 2005. Further proposals to build the terminal were called and EDF was chosen by Dunkirk Port in 2006 for carrying out a three-year feasibility study.
Dunkirk Port has partnered with Fugro (for geotechnical surveys), Arcadis (engineering), Sector Group (for marine engineering) and Sogreah Consultants for carrying out the feasibility study.
