"Yes, Cheniere will declare its interest in taking part in the procurement process," Jean Abiteboul, the president of Cheniere's international supply and marketing unit, told BNS.
Klaipėdos Nafta and Cheniere signed a memorandum of understanding on possible LNG supply in May 2011. The companies then agreed to hold talks on supply options and to open negotiations on a long-term contract if they reach mutually beneficial solutions.
Abiteboul has told BNS that, among other things, Cheniere would consider taking a minority stake in the LNG terminal.
This week, Klaipėdos Nafta, the developer of the LNG terminal project, published a notice on procurement of 750 million cubic meters of gas per year starting 2015 under a 10-year contract.
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, it has also discussed gas supply with British Petroleum, Shell, and other companies.
The terminal is expected to be operational by the end of 2014.
