LNG Terminal and the Zlobin – Omišalj evacuation gas pipeline ceremonially put into operation

Omišalj, 29 January – Today at the ceremony in Omišalj on the island of Krk, the Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković put into operation the LNG terminal and the Zlobin – Omišalj evacuation gas pipeline. 

Along with the Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković, at the ceremony were also the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Tomislav Ćorić; Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković; HE Péter Szijjártó, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade; HE Csaba Demcsák, PhD, Ambassador of Hungary to the Republic of Croatia, HE Victoria J. Taylor, Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim of the US Embassy; Mr Zlatko Komadina, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Prefect; Mrs Mirela Ahmetović, Head of Omišalj Municipality; Mrs Barbara Dorić, Member of the Board of INA; Mr Frane Barbarić, President of the Board of HEP; the Board of Plinacro led by the President of the Board, Mr Ivica Arar and the Director of LNG Croatia, Hrvoje Krhen.

By the construction of the LNG terminal and the Zlobin – Omišalj evacuation gas pipeline, Croatia obtained a new, diversified supply gas route that provides energy stability and security of gas supply. The construction of the compressor station, completed last year in January, enabled a bi-directional gas flow between Croatia and Hungary, while the reconstruction of the Rogatec – Zabok gas pipeline enabled a bi-directional gas flow between Croatia and Slovenia. In this way, all the conditions for the transmission of gas from the LNG terminal towards the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe have been met and the Croatian gas transmission system has been integrated into the European gas flows.  

The LNG terminal and the Zlobin - Omišalj evacuation gas pipeline are the most complex facilities on the Croatian gas transmission system, in which LNG Croatia invested around HRK 1.7 billion, while Plinacro invested HRK 430 million in the new part of the 17.5 km long gas pipeline, two gas transmission nodes and other overhead facilities. The contractors were the Croatian consortiums, i.e., joint ventures whose leading partner for the LNG terminal was Pomgrad inženjering from Split, while for Plinacro's gas pipeline and the associated facilities a leading partner was Monter - Strojarske montaže from Zagreb. The LNG Croatia vessel, a floating unit for storage and regasification of liquefied natural gas (FSRU) was delivered by the Norwegian company Golar. 

 

The European Commission recognized the importance of these projects, while the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) participated in the financing of the LNG terminal with EUR 101.4 million and in the construction of the evacuation gas pipeline with EUR 16.4 million. For this occasion, Mr Dirk Beckers, Director of INEA stated: “The KrK LNG terminal is of strategic importance for the security and diversification of natural gas supply in Central and South-Eastern Europe. It will also ensure the effective integration of other key natural gas infrastructure projects into the regional gas market and overall it will enhance the competitiveness of the region. I would like to thank and congratulate our beneficiaries - LNG Croatia and Plinacro - for their effective collaboration with INEA and for having been able, despite the challenging circumstances, to successfully complete the project according to the original planning!”

 

The President of the Plinacro Board, Ivica Arar, thanked the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the line Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development for their support in the implementation of these projects. He also thanked the employees and contractors who, despite the challenges and difficulties caused by the COVOD-19 pandemic, successfully completed the construction within the planned period of 11 months.