Brazil’s Gás Natural Açu cleared to import LNG

Brazil’s energy ministry cleared Gás Natural Açu, a joint venture between Prumo Logística, BP and Siemens, to import up to 5.8Mm3 of LNG for its gas-fired power complex in Açu port in Rio de Janeiro state.

The authorization was published in the official gazette on Wednesday and is valid from March 2020 to June 2022. The LNG will be delivered to a regasification unit yet to be installed at the port. The firms have already hired the FSRU BW Magna.

The project consists of a 1.3GW combined cycle plant integrated to an LNG regasification terminal, a transmission line and a substation connected to the national grid.

The LNG-fired plant is under construction and is due to start operations by 2021. Gás Natural Açu will also build the 1.7GW UTE GNA II plant and, together, the two will be Latin America's largest gas-fired power complex. The firm has said it aims to expand the complex to 6.4GW.

NATURAL GAS SALES

Brazil's natural gas sales in April averaged 52Mm3/d, down 9.06% year-on-year, according to the latest bulletin of gas distributors association Abegás.

Demand increased for industrial, automotive, residential and commercial use, but the overall reduction was caused mainly by less use of gas for power generation. Compared with March, sales fell 9.90%.

Industrial use of natural gas amounted to 28.3Mm3/d in April, up 2.5% from March.