Wilhelmshaven 1 LNG terminal

Wilhelmshaven 1 LNG Terminal Project

The Wilhelmshaven 1 LNG terminal, developed by the German energy company Uniper in the city of Wilhelmshaven on the Jade Bay (North Sea coast of Lower Saxony), is recognised as Germany’s first and most advanced floating LNG import facility. Together with several other LNG terminals built across the country, it forms part of Germany’s strategy to diversify natural gas supply sources, reduce dependence on former pipeline deliveries from the East, and reinforce national energy security.

The terminal consists of three main elements: a 390-metre jetty equipped with dedicated systems (including firefighting systems, service cranes, and high-pressure gas transfer arms), the FSRU Höegh Esperanza, and an approximately 3-kilometre high-pressure pipeline connecting the terminal to the gas metering station.

The Höegh Esperanza – a 294-metre-long, 46-metre-wide floating storage and regasification unit – has been permanently moored at the terminal since December 2022. LNG delivered by seagoing LNG carriers is transferred to the FSRU’s storage tanks, regasified on board, and fed into Germany’s transmission network.

Wilhelmshaven 1 can receive LNG cargoes of 125,000 to 170,000 cubic metres. Its design regasification capacity is 7.5 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year, equivalent to more than 8% of Germany’s 2021 gas demand.

The terminal commenced operations in December 2022. The terminal’s operation was taken over by Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET), a subsidiary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, in 2023.

FSRU Höegh Esperanza

• Owner: Leif Höegh & Co
• Flag: Norway
• Builder: Hyundai Heavy Industries
• LNG storage capacity: 170,032 m³

Further information about the terminal is available on the website of the terminal operator Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH.

KN Energies’ role in the project

2022

KN Energies is commencing the provision of management (commercial operation) services for the first Wilhelmshaven LNG terminal project.

Since October 2022, KN Energies has been providing commercial operator services to Germany’s Wilhelmshaven 1 liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal. After the terminal was taken over by the German state-owned company Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET), a new consolidated tender for the commercial operation of all four German LNG terminals was launched. Having won this tender, KN Energies began providing commercial operation services on behalf of DET for Wilhelmshaven 1 and the other three LNG terminals in Germany at the beginning of 2024.

Main activities of KN Energies in the Wilhelmshaven 1 LNG terminal project:

• Advising the client in preparing and reviewing project contracts.
• Providing commercial operational services, including LNG inventory management, scheduling, gas accounting, and preparing the IT infrastructure required for commercial operations.
• Ensuring 24/7 gas dispatching capability and communication with the transmission system operator and the FSRU on related matters.
• Advising on the preparation of Terminal User Rules and the open-access model.
• Submitting REMIT and other mandatory reports under EU regulations.

Based on our first-hand experience working closely with KN, I have been entirely satisfied with the quality of services they have provided to us so far. Their professionalism, wealth of experience and knowledge in developing and managing LNG import terminals, and customer-centric approach make them an ideal choice for companies seeking a reliable and efficient partner in the LNG industry. I am confident in their ability to meet your expectations and deliver exceptional results.

Christian Janzen

General Project Manager, Uniper Global Commodities SE