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UK Imports US Shale Gas

The UK will be taking delivery of its first US shale gas this weekend (8 July) with many experts anticipating a growing number of tankers will head across the Atlantic bearing the cargo to the UK.

It will be stored at the country’s Isle of Grain terminal until required by whichever energy company has purchased the fuel. According to the Telegraph, the amount of gas being delivered is enough to meet around half of the country’s daily demand in summer.

The UK is becoming increasingly reliant on imports of gas as its own supplies are falling, and with the announcement last month that Centrica plans to close the country’s largest gas storage facility, some experts are issuing warnings over gas supplies.

Simon Culkin, terminal manager at the Isle of Grain, told the newspaper that it’s good to see greater diversity in the UK’s gas suppliers.

“This year we have brought in shipments from Algeria, Qatar and South America too. The more sources you can draw on, the better,” he stated.

Meanwhile Energy Voice revealed that the volume of gas being kept in UK LNG storage facilities is at its lowest level for this time of year since 2009.

However, that doesn’t mean that all the gas being stored will be used for power in UK homes and businesses, with the publication explaining that the gas could be sold on for a higher price during the winter.

It noted that the Isle of Grain terminal is the only one of the UK’s LNG facilities that has the ability to carry out reloads, which is where fuel is exported from the storage tanks when it’s more profitable to do so.

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