São Paulo – Petrobras and the government of Bahia are going to sign, on Tuesday (1), a protocol of intentions to guide actions for construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) regassification terminal in the state. The president of the Republic, Dilma Roussef, should announce official implementation.
The terminal should have regassification capacity of 14 million cubic metres a day and works should begin in March 2012. Conclusion is scheduled for 2013, according to information disclosed by Agência Petrobras. Investment should total US$ 706 million.
Currently, Brazil has LNG terminals in Pecém, in the state of Ceará, with regassification capacity of seven million cubic metres a day, and in Guanabara Bay, in Rio de Janeiro, with capacity for 14 million cubic metres a day.
The terminals simplify imports of gas from distant countries, like the Arab world, as it is not possible to transport from that distance through pipelines – as is the case with the gas bought from Bolivia – and it is necessary to liquefy the gas prior to transport by ship, for later regassification in Brazil.
*Translated by Mark Ament
