European LNG projects target supply security

New import facilities progressing despite spare capacity in existing infrastructure

Europe's LNG receiving capacity, across ten countries from Lithuania to Greece, has experienced usage levels this year unprecedented in well over a decade, as a global LNG supply glut finds the continent a home of last resort. But, despite the significant uptick in deliveries, Europe's terminals are far from full. Why, then, do new projects in Germany, Ireland and Croatia continue to progress when there is ullage in neighbouring countries' facilities and in pipelines that can, and indeed already do, bring regasified molecules into these countries' grids? At the end of July, the European Commission ruled that Croatia's plans to contribute €100mn in state funds—and also levy a ‘security of sup