Enagas Chile SPA and affiliates of OMERS Infrastructure Management Inc. are selling an 80% equity stake in the 5.5-billion cu m/year (bcmy) GNL Quintero SA regasification terminal in Quintero Bay, Chile, to Fluxys and EIG Global Energy Partners. The terminal also has 334,000 cu m of storage and 2,500 cu m/day of truck loading capacity.
Operational since 2009, Quintero is the largest LNG terminal in Chile. The terminal holds 75% of the country´s LNG regasification capacity and in 2021, was the point of entry for 67% of Chile’s total natural gas imports, according to the purchasing companies.
Beyond the LNG business, however, Fluxys and EIG acquired Quintero as part of their energy transition plans. Fluxys described the partnership as “a forward-looking investment creating a foothold in another country in Latin America where the energy transition stands high on the government agenda. With its abundant solar and wind resources, Chile aims to produce the world’s cheapest green hydrogen. The Belgian Hydrogen Import Coalition with Fluxys as partner has affirmed the competitiveness and feasibility of a green molecule supply chain from Chile to Europe and Belgium.”
The companies expect the transaction to close second-half 2022, subject to customary closing conditions, including any required merger control and related regulatory approvals.
Fluxys owns the 9-bcmy Zeebrugge LNG terminal in Belgium and the 13-bcmy Dunkerque LNG terminal in France. Last year, Fluxys took final investment decision on an expansion of Zeebrugge LNG (OGJ Online, Feb. 16, 2022). Qatar Petroleum holds 100% of Zeebrugge’s current regasification capacity.
