Australian Industrial Energy (AIE) has today lodged a Modification to its existing Development Consent (Consent) for its Port Kembla Gas Terminal in order to meet higher demand for natural gas during peak periods.

As first flagged to the NSW Government in August, AIE’s customers have expressed that their gas demands during peak season (typically between April and September) exceed the volume approved in the current Consent granted by the NSW Department of Planning.

The Modification request seeks to increase the number of annual LNG cargoes received at the terminal from 26 shipments of standard-sized vessels (170,000 cubic metres) to up to 46 shipments of variable sized vessels to reflect the variability in demand.

The increase of up to 20 shipments represents an approximate 2 percent increase in the number of vessels that visit Port Kembla each year.

The Project’s FSRU (floating storage and regasification unit), which will remain moored at Port Kembla’s Berth 101 to receive, store and send out natural gas, will not need to be modified as it has the capacity to handle the extra throughput.

As part of the Modification process, AIE will be required to undertake additional environmental and hazard studies which will then be assessed by NSW Government agencies and whilst this is expected to extend the completion timeline, the request for additional volume reinforces the project’s critical importance as a solution to the nation’s near-term gas supply challenges.

Source:  ausindenergy.com