![]() ![]() In short, the dual use envisaged for the jetty complicates matters by orders of magnitude. ![]() ![]() However, the findings of the geophysical survey raised design issues when applying BS EN 1473, as the substrate at varying wavelength ranges could cause the substrate to turn into a liquid state and the piles that support the jetty would probably sink into the liquid material causing the jetty to collapse. It was only when the contractor was pressed that they carried out the geophysical survey in the first quarter of 2021. The Epcoma states the contractor has to carry out their own geophysical survey to confirm a jetty can be built that can handle these requirements.īut it’s understood that, between the awarding of the contract in December 2019 and the project’s kick-off meeting in September 2020, absolutely nothing was done with regard to the deliverable requirements of the contract. However, the geophysical test drilling that should have been done years ago and way before the tender to build the facility was published, was never carried out. This means that the closer the jetty is to the bedrock the better, as the piles have to be driven into solid material. Moreover, once the jetty is destined for cryogenic transport use inside the EU, it must satisfy certain requirements, known at the BS EN 1473 design code and its seismic requirements. Piping liquid gas to the jetty and onboard an LNG carrier would require extremely low temperatures, meaning the thermal characteristics of this pipeline exert enormous stresses on the jetty. The requirement to use the jetty for exporting LNG was described as “probably the biggest showstopper.” The problem lies in that the contractor lacks experience in building LNG facilities of any sort, let alone operating one as a gas station as well as a regasification facility. But the contract also states that the jetty must be capable of bunkering LNG for vessels that use LNG as fuel.Īccording to a source with technical savvy, this threw a spanner in the works as all of a sudden it raised many safety considerations – since the prime fuel supply jetty for the island will be used as a gas station as well. As drafted, and considering the parties involved, the contract was “impossible to fulfill,” said one source.įor example, the Epcoma included the specification that the jetty must be designed to allow for the transportation of regasified LNG in a pipeline from the floating unit to the shore. The Sunday Mail understands that problems began from the outset with the Epcoma (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Management) contract for the project. Our sources say the only involved company that has any experience is Tractebel, but they are only subcontractors who review and approve or reject drawings under the auspices of Hill. The rest of the financing comes from the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.īut industry sources have told us that neither the project owner (Etyfa, the subsidiary of Defa, the natural gas public company), nor their advisors Hill International, nor even the contractor China Petroleum are up to the task of managing an LNG project of this scale or complexity. The project has secured a €101 million grant from the EU under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) financial instrument. The LNG terminal will include a floating storage and regasification unit (Fsru), a jetty for mooring the Fsru, a jetty-borne gas pipeline and related infrastructure. ![]()
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