New liquefied natural gas terminal improves energy supply and security in Poland

The new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Świnoujście sees significant investment in the marine port on the Pomeranian Baltic coast. The terminal, with unloading and regasification capabilities, opens up new energy routes for Eastern European countries traditionally dependent on Russia.

In addition to the construction of the LNG terminal, three accompanying projects are also being carried out to ensure that the terminal is fully operational, namely:

The construction of infrastructures ensuring access to the external port in Świnoujście;The installation of a quay to allow LNG to be unloaded safely;The construction of the Świnoujście – Szczecin gas pipeline, linking the LNG terminal to the national transmission system.

As a result of the project 130 new jobs are expected to be created

Improving the storage and the distribution of energy supplies across Europe

Producing LNG means converting natural gas to liquid, reducing fuel to about one 600th of the volume of gas in its natural - gaseous - form. Supplies can then be transported to markets where there is a demand, and turned back into gas. But Europe is very short of LNG terminals, meaning that we rely on pipelines to deliver our gas supplies. Burning natural gas produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than oil or coal, meaning that gas, along with renewable and nuclear energy, can be a good low-carbon fuel choice.

The Świnoujście terminal can take 5 000 000 000 Nm3 of gas a year (Nm3 means “normal cubic metre”, ie: at normal temperature and pressure), in the form of 8 300 000 m3 of LNG. This rises to 7 500 000 000 Nm3 of natural gas after 2017. The new infrastructure includes facilities to unload LNG from ships and to store the liquid gas, before “regasifying” processes at the terminal turn the fuel back to its original form. Additional facilities including supplying natural gas to the national transmission system and loading gas on trunks are included in the terminal.

Total investment and EU funding

Total investment for the project “Construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Świnoujście - unloading and regasification facility” is EUR 845 969 400, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 223 740 269 from the Operational Programme “Infrastructure and Environment” for the 2007 to 2013 programming period under the priority axis Energy security including diversification of energy sources”