Data Insights: Brazil LNG regasification projects

Brazil has several liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal projects under study, environmental evaluation or in early or advanced design and engineering stages. 

Here is the list of undertakings, according to the BNamericas database: 

Dislub LNG Maranhão state terminal 

The project involves the construction of a terminal capable of receiving, storing, distributing and regasifying LNG and unloading natural gas through an integral pipeline, which would be connected to the network of the state’s distribution concessionaire Gasmar.

Primary bunkering and LNG transfer would be ship-to-ship. The plant would be located in São Marcos bay, north of the Ponta da Madeira terminal, and 26km from the center of state capital São Luís.

With regasification capacity of 12Mm3/d, the unit would also be capable of transferring LNG to a small-scale floating distribution unit, initially with capacity of 2Mm3/d, which could be expanded to 8Mm3/d.

Property type: Public

Development type: Greenfield

Project type and capacity:

Regasification (main)

Regasification 12Mm3/d

Gas pipelines 3km

Storage terminals

Tankers

Note: Last week, BNamericas reported that Dislub is also mulling the construction of an LNG regasification terminal in Pará state. 

Macaé port terminal (TEPOR)

The project consists of the construction of a complex composed of facilities in maritime and land areas. These facilities will be used for industrial activities, logistics, storage and distribution of products for the oil and gas sector. The onshore area will consist of two terminals, called A and B, while the offshore area will consist of three backlands: primary, secondary and tertiary.

The initiative will be located on the north coast of the municipality of Macaé in Rio de Janeiro state.

The new port is designed to meet the logistical demand of the offshore industry, providing storage capacity for companies operating in both the Campos and Santos basins.

Property Type: Private

Development type: Greenfield

Capex: US$1.02bn

Project Type and capacity:

Oil terminals (main)

Bridge 4km

Gas pipelines

Port 6Mm2

Regasification 21Mm3/d

Storage terminals

Water pipelines 12.4km

Water pipelines 50 liters per second

Porto Norte Fluminense

The project entails the construction of a thermoelectric park, consisting of two natural gas combined cycle plants (UTE Porto Norte Fluminense I and UTE Porto Norte Fluminense II), and a transmission line that will connect the units to the national grid (SIN).

In addition, it will have an offshore and onshore natural gas regasification, compression and decompression station, a natural gas processing unit (UPGE), a maritime gas pipeline, a maritime oil pipeline, a ship mooring system, an onshore gas pipeline, water supply pipelines with intake from the Itabapoana river and water supply pipelines with intake from the sea and desalination treatment, a water treatment plant, vessels with cryogenic tanks to transport LNG from the dock to the rockfill and a cryogenic pipeline from that point to the port.

The project is expected to take 48 months to complete and is expected to generate more than 4,000 jobs, of which 840 will be direct and 3,200 indirect during the construction and operation phases.

The park will be located in the district of Buena in the municipality of São Francisco de Itabapoana, in Rio de Janeiro state. The area is shaped like a trapezoid, with 1,000m of frontage on the RJ-196 highway, an approximate distance of 1,000m to the beach and 1,500m of frontage on the sea.

Property Type: Private

Development type: Greenfield

Project type and capacity:

Combined cycle 3,400MW

Desalination plant

Gas pipelines 29km

Natural gas generation

Oil pipelines 7km

Regasification 21Mm3/d

Storage terminals

Transmission lines 500kV

Water pipelines 22km

LNG terminal associated with Geramar III thermoelectric plant

The project consists of the construction of an LNG regasification terminal with an associated gas pipeline connecting with the Geramar III power plant in Maranhão state.

Property type: Private

Development type: Greenfield

Project type and capacity:

Regasification (N/A)

Gas pipelines

Note: The Geramar III project was originally planned by Gera Maranhão, which was acquired by Eneva in 2024. A source from the company told BNamericas that the undertaking is under analysis. 

Proposed projects

The latest LNG terminal plan produced by federal energy research company EPE and published in 2021 mentions the following projects: 

– Itacoatiara terminal, in Amazonas state, with regasification capacity of 14Mm3/d and estimated capex of 175mn reais (currently about US$28mn)

– Presidente Kennedy terminal, in Espírito Santo state’s Porto Central port (14Mm3/d, 2.7bn reais)

– Pontal do Paraná, in Paraná state (14Mm3/d, 275mn reais)

– São Luiz, in Maranhão state (14Mm3/d, 352mn reais).

Terminals in operation

Last Friday (Jan 3), Eneva said it had reestablished full operations of its floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in Sergipe state. 

Operations of the FSRU were halted in October due to a failure between the pipeline connecting the unit to the Porto de Sergipe I power plant and the state’s gas pipeline network. 

Eneva’s terminal has the capacity to regasify 21Mm3/d. 

There are currently six other LNG regasification terminals operating in the country:

– Petrobras’ Baía de Guanabara terminal, in Rio de Janeiro state, capable of regasifying 20Mm3/d

– Petrobras’ Bahia state terminal (20Mm3/d)

– Gás Natural Açu’s (GNA) terminal in Açu port, in Rio de Janeiro (21Mm3/d)

– New Fortress Energy’s Barcarena terminal, in Pará (15Mm3/d)

– New Fortress Energy’s Babitonga terminal, in Santa Catarina (15Mm3/d) 

– Compass Gás e Energia’s TRSP terminal, in São Paulo (14Mm3/d).

Petrobras’ Pecém terminal in Ceará has been out of service since 2021.