• 24 Oct 2016

HIGAS, the joint venture between Gas & Heat, CPL Concordia and Stolt-Nielsen, received the final governmental approval for the construction and operation of the small-scale LNG storage facility in Santa Giusta (Oristano), in Sardinia. 

The latest approval for the 9.000-cbm storage facility came from the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, according to the statement by Gas and Heat, a specialist for cargo systems, after the project has obtained more than 15 positive approvals, including the authorization of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, in early October.

The governmental endorsemnt paves the path that will lead to the adoption of the Ministerial Decree for the authorization final release, which will finally allow the opening of the construction of the first LNG storage plant on a small scale in the Mediterranean, in 2018.

The Norwegian-listed company Stolt-Nielsen has acquired a 10 percent interest in the project, with an option to increase its stake up to 80 percent. The company is aiming to decide on ordering two small-scale LNG carriers, of 7,500-cbm, which will be used to ship the chilled fuel for the LNG import facility that will have six cryogenic horizontal storage tanks.

The decision on the order is expected to be made once binding offtake agreements for the LNG project in Italy have been signed, according to Stolt-Nielsen.