Natural gas: The second FSRU in Thrace aims to supply Ukraine

With certainty the businessman Dimitris Kopelouzos, initiator and shareholder of the FSRU of Alexandroupolis, stated that, after the first FSRU that is already being built along the coast of the northern Greek border city, “there will also be a second FSRU”.

The original FSRU Thrace, which has been licensed by the Regulatory Authority for Energy-RAE, is in the stage of seeking community financing and investment maturation. The project is run by the multi-shareholder Gastrade, and Mr. Kopelouzos speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the event for the start of the implementation of the power generation unit (PPC, DEPA and Damco Energy) in Alexandroupolis said that “the second FSRU will send natural gas to Ukraine”.

The “ghost” pipeline

To the question put to the shareholder of Gastrade about which route the FSRU Thrace natural gas will follow in order to reach Ukraine, the answer he gave was: “It will go through the pipeline used by Greece for the Russian gas to come. In reverse, of course,” he added.

Mr. Kopelouzos was referring to the Trans-Balkan pipeline, which until 2020 was in operation in its entire section to transport natural gas from Russia and through Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria to Greece and Turkey.

From 2021, Greece imports Russian natural gas through Turk Stream.

The businessman also made it known that it is possible to transport gas from the South to the North, noting that gas was recently delivered to the part of the Trans-Balkan Pipeline, Moldova-Ukraine in the direction of the North.

Investments

The new FSRU will be operational in 2025, according to Gastrade planning.

The second marine infrastructure unit will receive quantities of LNG, which will then be gasified and transported via pipeline to the onshore IGB pipelines and to Sidirokastro from the Greek section of the Trans-Balkan pipeline.

However, sources note that necessary investments are needed to utilize the larger capacity and stronger flow of the reverse course fuel. Such are the compressors in Bulgarian territory, but also the development of a second pipeline on Greek soil.

Without these infrastructures, the possibility of transporting Greek gas through Sidirokastro and IGB to the Balkans and Eastern Europe is estimated at 8.5 billion. cubic meters per year.

Turkey

Turkey has also entered strongly the battle to supply Ukraine with Russian natural gas.

The Eastern Thrace FSRU is moving forward and can also use the other branch of the Trans-Balkan Pipeline to transport quantities to Ukraine.

A critical role as to which of the two gateways, Greece or Turkey will be ready in time for the gas transfer, will be played by the American factor and the attitude of Bulgaria. This is supported by analysts.

The Ukraine

However, other sources report to OT that the Greek side has held initial discussions about Ukraine receiving natural gas from FSRU Thrace.

In addition, the same sources note that no one is able to know with the war situation in Ukraine and the disasters that the country has suffered, which of the gas infrastructures have remained unscathed. They also remind that Ukraine consumed 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Of these 20 billion cubic meters were produced by the country itself and the 10 billion cubic meters imported from Russia.

Therefore the day after the war the needs will be great and it is very likely that many sources of supply will be needed, experts say.