Doris Leblond
OGJ correspondent
PARIS, Apr. 1 -- Gaz de France, through an agreement with National Grid Transco PLC subsidiary Grain LNG Ltd., has booked 2.4 million tonnes/year of LNG regasification capacity for 20 years, starting in 2008-09, at the Isle of Grain terminal in the UK.
The terminal, at the Thames Estuary, is due on stream shortly with 3.3 million tonnes/year of LNG capacity, to be increased to 9.8 million tonnes/year by yearend 2008. This will account for about 12% of the UK's gas needs.
The UK's gas market, the largest in Europe, is set to grow by 2%/year, making the country a net gas importer as its North Sea gas production declines.
The LNG will come from Gaz de France gas production, but the source has not yet been determined.