Klaipėdos Nafta (Klaipėda Oil), the state-owned oil product terminal operator implementing the terminal’s project, reported on Tuesday that those companies had confirmed that they would submit bids in a respective gas supply tender.
“Unexpectedly big interest in this procurement contract shown by international LNG suppliers is a very important fact and a good piece of news. It shows that the key players of the global energy market are following and assessing the progress achieved in the LNG terminal project in Lithuania,” Klaipėdos Nafta CEO, Rokas Masiulis, said in a press release.
Klaipėdos Nafta plans to endorse a set of key conditions for the LNG supply contract early in 2013. A full-scale contract should be signed by mid-2013, according to the press release. The bidders will include US energy company Cheniere, which signed a memorandum of understanding on possible LNG supply with Klaipėdos Nafta last year.
A representative of the US company earlier confirmed to BNS that the company would participate in the LNG supply tender. Klaipėdos Nafta has also signed a letter of intent on LNG supply with Spain's Gas Natural Fenosa and has held talks with Qatargas, the world's biggest LNG producer, as well as with Azerbaijan's state oil company Socar and Norway's oil and gas company Statoil.
According to media reports, Klaipėdos Nafta also held discussions with international companies, such as British Petroleum, Shell, and others. Klaipėdos Nafta intends to buy 750 million cubic meters of gas per year starting 2015 under a 10-year contract.
The LNG terminal is expected to be operational by the end of 2014.
