TotalEnergies plans LNG bunkering project in Middle East

French energy giant TotalEnergies will supply shipping with liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Oman.

PHOTO: Aerial view of Sohar Port in Oman. Linkedin of SOHAR Port and Freezone

As part of the project, an LNG liquefaction plant will be built in the Sohar port in Oman to liquefy 1 million mt/year of natural gas. The LNG produced here will be used primarily as bunker fuel, with production scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2028, TotalEnergies said.

The LNG bunkering project will be first of its kind in the Middle East, claims TotalEnergies.

“The ambition of the Marsa LNG project is to serve as the first LNG bunkering hub in the Middle East, showcasing an available and competitive alternative marine fuel to reduce the shipping industry's emissions,” TotalEnergies said in a statement.

A solar plant will also be built to fully cover the plant's power consumption.

The project will be run by a joint venture between TotalEnergies and Oman’s state-owned oil company OQ, called Marsa LNG.

The Marsa LNG plant will receive up to 150 million cubic feet/day of natural gas as feedstock. TotalEnergies has also agreed to buy 800,000 mt/year of LNG from Oman LNG, the Sultanate's state-owned LNG plant. The agreement will last for a decade, starting in 2025.

By Konica Bhatt

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