According to a statement by Bulgarian energy ministry, Bulgaria and Oman will sign a memorandum of understanding to promote bilateral energy relations within the next two months.
This was agreed by Bulgarian energy minister, Vladimir Malinov, and Oman’s minister of energy, Salim Al Aufi, during a meeting held last week, the statement said.
Malinov said guaranteeing security and diversification of energy supply is an “integral part of Bulgaria’s national security.”
“In this respect, one of the main goals facing our country is securing supplies of liquefied natural gas in the long term,” he said.
He said that after October 1 this year, the LNG terminal near Alexandroupolis, Greece, where the Bulgarian side is a co-shareholder, would start commercial operations.
The ministers discussed the possibility of supplying LNG to Bulgaria, thus providing “some of the necessary quantities for the upcoming winter season,” the statement said.
State-owned Oman LNG operates operates three liquefaction trains at its site in Qalhat near Sur.
The company plans to add a new liquefaction train to boost Oman’s production of LNG to 15.2 mtpa.
Gastrade, the operator of the FSRU-based LNG import terminal off Alexandroupolis, recently told LNG Prime that the unit has completed final tests following an issue with the project’s pipeline.
“The COD (commercial operation date) is still planned for October 1, 2024, to coincide with the start of the next gas year,” the company said.
Gastrade’s shareholders include founder Copelouzou, DESFA, DEPA, Bulgartransgaz, and GasLog.
Bulgartransgaz has a 20 percent share in the LNG terminal, while Bulgargaz previously booked capacity at Gastrade’s FSRU-based LNG import project.
Besides the Alexandroupolis FSRU, Bulgargaz has a capacity deal with Türkiye’s Botas, allowing it access to Turkish LNG import terminals and the grid.
The two firms are currently renegotiating the terms of the deal, Bulgargaz said in a statement on August 15.
Botas supplied one LNG cargo to Bulgargaz in June.
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