The GNL Mejillones consortium building the regasification terminal in northern Chile expects to decide on whether to build a permanent onshore LNG tank in 6-9 months, group CEO Frederik Janssens told BNamericas.
The consortium had previously said it would decide on the long-term future of the project before the end of the year.
Chile's state copper miner Codelco and multinational energy company Suez each own 50% stakes in the JV that is constructing the US$500mn temporary terminal in the northern Chilean port of Mejillones.
Suez officials have stated that a decision to build a permanent tank would depend on power clients' willingness to purchase LNG-based generation as new capacity from cheaper coal-based generation will start coming online on the northern SING grid in 2012.
Chilean officials said last week that LNG to arrive at the GNL Quintero LNG regasification facility being developed in region V could enter the country at US$22/MBTU. GNL Quintero is expected to begin initial operations in 2Q09.
Meanwhile, the GNL Mejillones project is on track and advancing as planned. The company said in January that it is aiming to start operations in January 2010.
The terminal has send-out capacity of 5.5Mm3/d, enough to produce 1.1GW of power, and the JV has signed three-year contracts with copper miners in the region to supply enough gas to power 400MW starting in 2010.
LNG will at first be stored in a floating unit that will be permanently moored to the terminal's jetty.
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