Dioryga Gas

Motor Oil reexamining Dioryga Gas FSRU project in Corinth

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Energy group Motor Oil is reexamining its plan for the Dioryga Gas FSRU project in Corinth, west of Athens, over concerns created by a change in market conditions, the group’s management revealed yesterday during its presentation of 2022 financial results to analysts.

Petros Tzannetakis, Motor Oil’s deputy managing director, told analysts the group is taking a closer look at details concerning the project.

“We are not saying that we will not go ahead, but that we are still looking at a lot of details,” Tzannetakis noted.

Results of a market test were favorable but market conditions have changed as it has become costlier and more difficult to find LNG carriers, the Motor Oil deputy explained, noting “we still need time before making an investment decision.”

If the project is deemed feasible, the investment will go ahead, Tzannetakis informed.

In its final market test, the Dioryga Gas FSRU project attracted record slot reservation figures for durations of up to 25 years and quantities totaling up to 2 bcm per year.

Located just 22 km from Greece’s existing Revythoussa islet LNG terminal, the Dioryga Gas FSRU would supply electricity producers in Greece as well as markets in southeast Europe.

Last October, RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, approved a capacity increase for the Dioryga Gas FSRU to between 135,00 and 210,000 cubic meters. Motor Oil aims to launch the FSRU in the first quarter of 2024, if the company decides to go ahead with the project’s development.

 

Dioryga Gas FSRU investment decision by Motor Oil in 3Q, clarity needed

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Energy group Motor Oil is expected to wait until the end of summer or early autumn before making an investment decision on the development of its Dioryga Gas FSRU project in Corinth, west of Athens, budgeted at approximately 340 million euros, sources have informed energypress.

Though a market test, staged recently by the petroleum group, proved successful, unclear factors still need to be considered before Motor Oil makes decisions, the sources noted.

Motor Oil requires further clarity on gas grid operator DESFA’s plans for an upgrade of a high-pressure gas pipeline segment from Patima to Livadia, mainland Greece.

During recent consultation on DESFA’s ten-year development plan covering 2023 to 2032, Motor Oil disagreed with this upgrade’s timing, scheduled by DESFA for October, 2027, pointing out the Dioryga Gas FSRU, if developed, is planned to be launched prior to this date, in May, 2025.

Doubled pipeline capacity at the Patima-Livadia segment, unjustifiably delayed, according to Motor Oil, will be needed by the company’s Dioryga Gas FSRU in Corinth.

Furthermore, Motor Oil has reacted against DESFA’s doubled cost, to 19.5 million euros, for the development of a related metering station required for the FSRU’s connection to the gas pipeline network. Motor Oil submitted a request, to the consultation procedure, for this part of the project to be taken on by Ellaktor – a construction company in which Motor Oil holds a stake – under the supervision of DESFA.

Last January, state authorities classified the Dioryga Gas FSRU project as an investment of strategic importance, status offering fast-track licensing.

Top energy sector officials taking part at Power & Gas Forum, March 22-23

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The government’s top-ranked energy sector officials as well as a host of other leading figures from political, institutional, academic and business domains will be talking part in the Power & Gas Forum on March 22 and 23 at the Wyndham Grand Athens Hotel, an event being staged by energypress for a fourth time. Conference speakers and attendees will participate in person.

Speakers at the event will include Greek energy minister Kostas Skrekas; the energy ministry’s secretary-general Alexandra Sdoukou; secretary-general of transport at the ministry of infrastructure and transport Ioannis Xifaras; RAE (Regulatory Authority for Energy) president Athanasios Dagoumas; EFET’s (European Federation of Energy Traders) Jerome Le Page; Tomás Llobet of European Energy Retailers (EER); two former Greek energy ministers, Giannis Maniatis and Giorgos Stathakis; Sokratis Famellos, a member of the main opposition leftist Syriza party; and Haris Doukas of the PASOK-KINAL socialist party.

Other conference participants will include power grid operator IPTO’s chief executive officer Manos Manousakis and his deputy Giannis Margaris; gas grid operator DESFA’s chief executive Maria Rita Galli; RES market operator DAPEEP’s president and CEO Giannis Giarentis; distribution network operator DEDDIE/HEDNO’s chief executive Anastasios Manos; EDEYEP (Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company) president Aristofanis Stefatos; the Hellenic Energy Exchange’s newly appointed CEO Alexandros Papageorgiou; EDA THESS general manager and EDA ATTIKI CEO Leonidas Bakouras; the Greek prime minister’s special adviser for energy Nikos Tsafos; energy ministry adviser Theodoros Tsakiris; and energy markets guru Alex Papalexopoulos.

The academic community will be represented by professors Pantelis Kapros, Stavros Papathanasiou, Pantelis Biskas, Nikolaos Hatziargyriou and Antonis Metaxas.

As always, energy-sector authorities will also participate at the event. They include Loukas Dimitriou (ESAI/HAIPP – Hellenic Association of Independent Power Producers); Antonis Kontoleon (EVIKEN – Association of Industrial Energy Consumers); Giannis Mitropoulos and Miltos Aslanoglou (ESPEN – Greek Energy Suppliers Association); Irodotos Antonopoulos (ESEPIE – Hellenic Association of Electricity Trading & Supply Companies); Panagiotis Lostarakos and Panagiotis Papastamatiou (ELETAEN – Greek Wind Energy Association); Stelios Loumakis (SPEF – Hellenic Association of Photovoltaic Energy Producers); and Stelios Psomas (SEF/HELAPCO – Hellenic Association of Photovoltaic Companies).

Key sector entrpreneurs and executives who have so far confirmed their participation include: Ioannis Kalafatas (Mytilineos); Kyriakos Kofinas (PPC); Nikolaos Zahariadis (Elpedison); Anastasios Lostarakos (NRG); Dinos Nikolaou (Energean); Kostis Sifnaios (Gastrade); Nikolaos Satras (Dioryga Gas); Panos Nikou (Volterra); and Ioannis Kokkotos (ABB).

The forum’s full agenda will be finalized and announced in the coming days.

RAE approvals steps towards new FSRUs off Corinth, Thessaloniki

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RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, has approved Elpedison’s Thessaloniki FSRU project as well as the final phase of a market test for Motor Oil’s FSRU plan, Dioryga Gas, off Corinth, west of Athens.

For Elpedison, the authority’s approval essentially signals the go-ahead for the Thessaloniki FSRU (floating storage unit) as the decision awards a 50-year project license until 2072.

A 50-50 joint venture involving Elpedison’s two partners, Edison and HELLENiQ, formerly known as Hellenic Petroleum (ELPE), the Thessaloniki FSRU will be developed at the Thermaic Gulf, just a few kilometers from Dock 6 at Thessaloniki port.

The Thessaloniki FSRU, planned to consist of four storage tanks offering a total of 170,000 cubic meters, is scheduled to be launched in 2025.

Besides approving guidelines for the final phase of Motor Oil’s market test concerning the Dioryga Gas FSRU project off Corinth, RAE also approved a capacity boost for this project, to 210,000 cubic meters from 170,000 cubic meters, as had been specified in the project’s original license, as well as Diorygas Gas’ transfer to Motor Oil’s MORE subsidiary, also hosting the petroleum group’s RES projects.

 

DG Energy chief in Athens for talks on range of key projects

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The European Commission’s Director-General for Energy Ditte Juul-Joergensen will be discussing a range of issues with the energy ministry’s leadership at a meeting in Athens today, including Greece’s role in the Balkans, western Balkan interconnection projects, natural gas reserves ahead of next winter, as well as Greece’s list of projects related to REPower EU, Europe’s plan for an end to the continent’s reliance on Russian energy sources.

Athens’ plan for wholesale electricity market intervention through a mechanism designed to subdue price levels is also expected to be discussed. It still needs to be approved by the European Commission, according to government sources.

The energy ministry is confident this mechanism will be approved by Brussels following a related agreement reached by its leadership during a visit to Brussels in late May. Market officials have remained uncertain.

Greece is expected to seek funding support estimated between 7 and 8 billion euros through the REPower EU initiative for a total of 14 projects supporting energy efficiency and security.

These projects include an upgrade of the gas grid; installation of a new floating storage unit at the islet Revythoussa, just off Athens; the Dioryga Gas FSRU in Corinth, west of Athens; an FSRU at Alexandroupoli, in Greece’s northeast; the Blue Med hydrogen project; the prospective underground natural gas storage facility (UGS) at the almost depleted natural gas field of “South Kavala” in the Aegean Sea’s north; IGB and TAP capacity boosts; as well as Greek-Egyptian and Greek-Bulgarian electricity grid interconnections.

PM discusses Greek regional gas supply prospects in talks with US president

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The crucial role to be played by northeastern Greece’s prospective Alexandroupoli FSRU as a project that promises to help reduce and eliminate the reliance of the Balkans and, by extension, east Europe on Russian gas was stressed during talks between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and US president Joe Biden in Washington yesterday.

The Greek leader, who stressed that the Alexandroupoli FSRU will be installed at a port just 500 km from the Ukraine border, added the facility, discussed extensively between the two leaders, will play a pivotal role in Europe’s decision to end its reliance on Russian gas.

Mitsotakis also discussed Greece’s ambitious yet not unattainable objective of becoming an energy hub in the Balkans, as a first step, as well as a key player in eastern Europe.

Three prospective LNG terminals – Alexandroupoli FSRU I and II, as well as Dioryga Gas, close to Korinthos, west of Athens – combined with the existing LNG terminal on the islet Revythoussa, just off Athens, that will soon acquire a fourth storage unit, could elevate Greece’s regional role as a main gas supplier in the Balkans and eastern Europe.

 

 

 

DESFA calls for doubled gas network capacity, PPPs

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The country’s changing energy policy, especially following an EU decision aiming to drastically reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian natural gas, will require far greater gas transmission capabilities, inevitably prompting the need for a major network capacity boost, double the current capacity, with project participation from private-sector investors through public-private partnerships, DESFA, the gas grid operator, has informed RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy.

The EU’s energy policy, steering Europe towards energy-source diversification, promises to establish Greece as a southeastern transit country handling far bigger quantities than at present.

Speaking at the recent energypress Power & Gas Fourum, Michalis Thomadakis, DESFA’s Director of Strategy and Development Division, noted: “Certain projects need to be developed so that we can fully utilize the new role the Greek gas transmission system is being called upon to adopt in the wider region. This can only be done with investments. It basically means that the system’s capacity needs to be doubled.”

A disruption of Russian natural gas supply to Europe would create a need for approximately 40 bcm to the Balkan region. Much of this quantity would pass through Greek territory.

New infrastructure promising to greatly increase Greece’s LNG importing capacity is already in the making. Projects include the Alexandroupoli FSRU in the country’s northeast, the Dioryga Gas FSRU planned for the Korinthos region west of Athens, as well as an additional storage tank at Greece’s only existing LNG terminal on the islet Revythoussa, just off Athens.

Given these prospects, DESFA is currently looking to develop new pipelines and make network revisions that would facilitate greater quantities to other European markets.

 

 

War, energy crisis hastening plans for new LNG facilities

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Russia’s war on Ukraine and the energy crisis are precipitating new natural gas and LNG supply solutions, a development that has increased the importance of related projects planned in Greece.

The EU’s decision to drastically reduce the continent’s reliance on Russian gas by two-thirds this year and terminate the dependence prior to 2030 has increased the importance of supply routes not linked to Moscow’s interests.

This development has increased the feasibility of new infrastructure promising to facilitate natural gas and LNG supply to Europe from alternative sources.

A major US-EU agreement established late last week for supply of an additional 15 bcm, at least, of American LNG to the continent this year, and gradual supply increases further ahead in time, has greatly boosted the prospects for related infrastructure.

The EU intends to follow up on this agreement by also establishing further supply deals with other producers, including Qatar and Egypt, in an effort to increase its LNG imports by a total of 50 bcm.

The EU’s new direction, focused on LNG imports, is seen as essential as the deterioration in relations between Europe and Moscow is expected to last many years.

Related projects in Greece promise to serve as LNG gateways for the country as well as southeast and central Europe, while also establishing Greece as a gas hub with an increased geostrategic role.

The Gastrade consortium recently decided to begin planning a second FSRU for Alexandroupoli, northeastern Greece, as an addition to a prospective first unit.

Petroleum group Motor Oil aims to begin development of its “Dioryga Gas” FSRU project, 1.5 km southwest of the company’s refinery in Korinthos, west of Athens, by the end of the year.

Gas grid operator DESFA is preparing to further upgrade its LNG terminal on the islet Revythoussa, just off Athens.

Also, the Mediterranean Gas company is planning to develop an FSRU at Volos port, on the mainland’s east coast. RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, has already issued a license for this project.

In addition, another investor, still undisclosed, is set to begin licensing procedures for yet another FSRU in Greece, sources have informed.

 

 

 

Motor Oil aims for ‘Dioryga Gas’ FSRU market test by November

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Petroleum group Motor Oil aims to launch a market test for its “Dioryga Gas” FSRU project, 1.5 km southwest of the company’s refinery in Korinthos, west of Athens, by November, as just one pending issue, approval of project guidelines by RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, now remains before the test can be staged.

The market test will be staged to measure the level of utilization interest in this floating unit by potential users.

Motor Oil anticipates the FSRU, promising to offer yet another natural gas entry point to the domestic system, can be launched by the end of 2023.

The market test will be conducted over two stages, an initial round of non-binding offers reserving FSRU capacities, followed by a second round of binding offers.

Besides the project’s commercial matters, progress is also being made on the technical front. The project’s Front End Engineering Design (FEED) plans are expected to be completed early next year, while the infrastructure’s environmental licensing procedure is in progress.

The FSRU is planned to feature four LNG storage tanks with a total capacity of between 130,000 and 180,000 cubic meters, as well as a regasification unit with a capacity of 300-500 cubic meters per hour for an annual regasification capacity of 2-3 bcm.

The unit is also planned to be hydrogen-compatible.

Vertical integration, diversification, FSRU behind MOH Komotini plant role

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Petroleum group Motor Oil Hellas’ intent to further bolster its position in the electricity market is highlighted by its decision to participate, with a 50 percent stake, in a new natural gas-fired power station being jointly developed with GEK Terna in Komotini, northeastern Greece.

More specifically, MOH’s involvement in this project can be linked to three key strategic reasons: vertical integration; market diversification beyond the refining sector; and the market role of the group’s planned FSRU in Korinthos, the Dioryga Gas project.

MOH’s participation in the Komotini natural gas-fired power station, coming as an addition to another such unit, Korinthos Power, in which the petroleum group holds a 35 percent stake, is expected to further bolster its vertical integration in the electricity market.

MOH, in the retail electricity market, is represented by supplier NRG, a company displaying dynamic growth with market share gains.

The group’s acquisition of a 50 percent stake in the Komotini power plant, to offer an 877-MW capacity, will boost its presence in electricity production and creates further opportunities for trade synergies.

The group’s Dioryga Gas project in Korinthos promises to supply large LNG quantities to the Komotini power station.

According to some sources, MOH is also discussing a possible entry, as a stakeholder, into other natural gas-fired power stations that are currently being developed, so that these, too, may be supplied with LNG by the group.

Motor Oil ‘Dioryga Gas’ FSRU on DESFA 10-yr plan, set to roll

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Approval by RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, of gas grid operator DESFA’s ten-year grid development plan, covering 2021 to 2030, with the inclusion of petroleum group Motor Oil’s “Dioryga Gas” FSRU project, 1.5 km southwest of the company’s refinery in Korinthos, west of Athens, paves the way for this unit’s actualization.

Motor Oil anticipates the FSRU, promising to offer yet another natural gas entry point to the domestic system, can be launched by the end of 2023.

To accept LNG via sea routes, the floating storage regasification unit’s capacity is estimated at 2-3 bcm per year.

The “Dioryga Gas” FSRU project was incorporated into DESFA’s ten-year development plan following amendments to a preliminary plan, made once an agreement had been reached between the gas grid operator and Motor Oil.

This agreement ended a dispute between the two sides over the project’s absence from the operator’s ten-year plan. Motor Oil protested against the FSRU’s exclusion, expressing its disapproval to DESFA as well as RAE.

The project’s inclusion on DESFA’s ten-year plan will enable Motor Oil to take investment decisions needed for its development.

The petroleum group is currently also examining the regulatory and commercial frameworks concerning the project with the aim of offering optimal services to users. Motor Oil intends to stage a market test in 2021.

The “Dioryga Gas” FSRU project will ease the saturation pressure on Greece’s other FSRU, on the islet Revythoussa, just off Athens, reinforce gas supply to the Greek market as the country’s LNG storage capacity will increase by 80 percent, and also facilitate further penetration of natural gas in remote parts of the country.