Karaikal FSRU

This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.

Sub-articles:

FrackSwarm portal Coal terminals Coal transport and infrastructure Oil and gas pipelines LNG terminals Pipeline construction costs Methodology and data notes

Karaikal FSRU is a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) and/or a floating storage unit (FSU) based liquified natural gas (LNG) import terminal proposed in India.

Location

The terminal is proposed to be located in Karaikal Port, Puducherry, India.

Loading map...

{"type":"HYBRID","minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"types":["ROADMAP","SATELLITE","HYBRID","TERRAIN"],"mappingservice":"googlemaps3","width":"400px","height":"300px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"visitedicon":"","wmsoverlay":false,"zoom":11,"layers":[],"controls":["pan","zoom","type","scale","streetview","rotate"],"zoomstyle":"DEFAULT","typestyle":"DEFAULT","autoinfowindows":false,"resizable":false,"kmlrezoom":false,"poi":true,"cluster":false,"clustergridsize":60,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clusteraveragecenter":true,"clusterminsize":2,"imageoverlays":[],"kml":[],"gkml":[],"searchmarkers":"","fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":false,"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":10.911092,"lon":79.8438253,"icon":""}]}

Project Details

• Operator:
• Owner: Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Company (AG&P)
• Parent company: Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Company (AG&P)
• Vessel: FSU Ghasha
• Vessel operator: Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Company (AG&P)
• Vessel owner: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)
• Vessel parent company:
• Location: Karaikal Port, Puducherry, India
• Coordinates: 10.911092, 79.8438253 (approximate)
• Capacity:
  • Phase 1: 1.0 mtpa, 0.14 bcfd
  • Phase 2: 3.0 mtpa (including Phase I capacity)
• Status: Proposed
• Type: Import
• Start year: 2026-2027
  • Formerly 2021, 2024

Note: mtpa = million tonnes per year; bcfd = billion cubic feet per day

Background

In February 2020 AG&P announced that it would build the terminal on a 12-acre site within the port of Karaikal, and expected it to begin operating in Q4 2021. The terminal will be FSU and/or FSRU-based.

According to Hydrocarbons Technology, the company plans to implement either a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) and/or floating storage unit (FSU) concept with submerged turret system at the terminal. The FSRU/FSU will comprise an LNG vessel with on-board re-gasification facilities and will be permanently moored at depths between 15m and 30m in nearshore waters.

According to Hydrocarbons Technology, the project received environmental impact clearance in May 2017. The terminal is expected to be built in two phases: Phase 1 would have capacity of 1 mtpa, and during Phase 2 capacity would be increased to 3 mtpa with a maximum capacity of 6 mtpa.

In February 2020, AG&P and ADNOC Logistics and Services have signed an agreement for the conversion, supply, operations, and maintenance of a floating storage unit (FSU). This FSU was intended to be converted to a new LNG terminal in Karaikal Port.

In December 2022, AG&P said that it had secured a floating storage unit (FSU) to be deployed at the terminal. The FSU Ghasha was being leased from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) for 11 years with a 4-year extension possible. The FSU was expected to be deployed alongside a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU).

In December 2022, Reuters reported that the company had a ground-breaking ceremony on terminal construction in February 2020. However, Covid-19 pandemic has led to a delay in the terminal's development. At this time, the company was looking to set up its first liquefied natural gas terminal in India by 2024 end but it was not necessarily at Karaikal location.

In January 2023, the company confirmed their initial intention to develop the terminal and that this terminal proposal was not yet fully canceled or scrapped. However, AG&P also stated that they are contemplating alternative locations. The intention at this time was to finalize the plans for the terminal at a location in India by the end of 2023. At this time, it was unclear whether the Karaikal location would be chosen. At this time, the terminal was also not yet under construction.

According to GIIGNL, in July 2023, the terminal was under construction, delayed, and expected to begin operation by the end of 2024. However, this does not agree with other news sources which state that construction has not yet started, besides the initial ground-breaking ceremony. Therefore, the terminal's status at this time is still proposed.

In January 2024, AG&P stated that it would commission a total of six LNG import terminals in the next two to three years in South and Southeast Asia, including the LNG terminal at Karaikal.