JAPEX breaks ground for Soma LNG Terminal

Japan Petroleum Exploration (JAPEX) has started the construction of an LNG terminal in Shinchi Town, Fukushima Prefecture (Soma Port). JAPEX is also preparing to construct a connecting pipeline
to transfer vaporized LNG gas from the terminal to its main trunk pipeline. Soma LNG receiving terminal will store and vaporize LNG to be offloaded from large ocean-going LNG tankers docked at Soma Port, and the new 40km pipeline will convey vaporized LNG gas from the terminal to JAPEX’s Niigata-Sendai Pipeline (connecting at the Iwanuma Valve Station in Iwanuma City, Miyagi Prefecture).

JAPEX has previously acquired a 10% interest in a natural gas development and production project in British Columbia, Canada, and a 10% interest in the Canada Pacific NorthWest LNG Project, in which natural gas is transported to the Port of Prince Rupert on the western coast of Canada through pipeline and is liquefied and exported as LNG, including the right to offtake 10% of the LNG.

 The project partners are working toward beginning operation at the liquefaction plant by the end of 2018. Under this project, JAPEX will offtake 10% (1.2 million tonnes) of the LNG at the plant (about 12 million tons per annum) and use it as one of the LNG sources to be received at the Soma LNG receiving terminal, which will be put into operation in March 2018.