Pipe damage delays Fos Cavaou LNG regas start-up

Feb. 15, 2008
Gaz de France has further postponed the start-up of its Fos Cavaou LNG receiving and regasification terminal because of pipe damage during the testing stage.

Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent

PARIS, Feb. 15 -- Gaz de France has further postponed the start-up of its Fos Cavaou LNG receiving and regasification terminal because of pipe damage during the testing stage.

It said Feb. 14 that Saipem-Tecnimont-Saipem, the consortium in charge of constructing the terminal, informed Societe du Terminal Methanier de Fos Cavaou that part of the pipe that gathers gas from the regasification units was damaged during preliminary tests carried out before bringing the terminal on stream.

The entire pipe section shifted, warping the pipe and requiring reconstruction of a large section of the relevant tube works. An investigation has been launched to discover the cause of the accident.

Gaz de France could not indicate when the terminal would come on stream. It had been scheduled for spring, but earlier was postponed to midyear.