LNG: TotalEnergies will operate the new LNG terminal in Le Havre

From production to delivery, TotalEnergies remains the main player in liquefied natural gas in France. The energy company has been chosen to manage the floating LNG terminal in Le Havre, which, according to information from the Seine-Maritime prefecture at AFP, will allow more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be imported into France through this new entry point.

Specifically, the infrastructure is based on two FSRU ships (floating regasification unit) from TotalEnergies “which will allow up to 5 billion m3 of natural gas (about 60% of the Russian gas imported by France in 2021) per year to be injected into the national grid”. According to a press release from the energy company, the site is scheduled to go into operation in September 2023. Work is due to start this fall, but the terminal must “intended for dismantling when supply voltages have been overcome” depending on the prefecture.

The war in Ukraine is fueling sharp energy tensions between the West and Moscow, which is using gas as a geopolitical weapon, making its natural gas supplies weaker and more insecure. If they are not completely cut off as in the direction of Poland, Bulgaria or Latvia since this Saturday. Europe is heavily dependent on Russian gas and is in a race against time to find alternatives to gas supplies to Russia, which are set to be phased out entirely in the coming months.

LNG, indispensable energy since the war in Ukraine

In this context, European leaders are trying to secure gas deals with other gas-exporting countries such as Qatar. But the emirate’s geographical remoteness makes it necessary to transport gas by boat in the form of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), a gas form that has therefore become indispensable for Europeans who are hastily building port terminals to ship LNG onto their territory.

There are currently four LNG import port terminals in France, namely two in Fos-sur-Mer, one in Montoir de Bretagne and one in Dunkirk. France wants to strengthen this infrastructure with a new location in Le Havre. Moored in the port of Le Havre, the installation will be able to deliver “about 10% of annual French consumption” according to the prefecture of LNG tankers that will supply them with gas “Possibly from Norway, Algeria, Qatar, the United States, Nigeria, Angola or even Egypt“.

TotalEnergies is aware of the importance of LNG and invests heavily in the sector. In Qatar, the French giant has been chosen to power the world’s largest gas field shared by Iran and Qatar with other major hydrocarbons.