Nelly Nicoli, CEO at Elengy, an expert in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and pioneer operator of LNG terminals in France, presented the Medhyterra project, its objectives and challenges on Tuesday 24 September 2024 in Fos-sur-Mer.
The Medhyterra project developed by Elengy entails redeveloping part of the site of its Fos Tonkin LNG terminal into a low-carbon ammonia import terminal.
It includes the construction of a 30,000 m3 ammonia storage tank to replace a decommissioned LNG tank, as well as the reuse of part of the existing facilities, such as the jetty, to accommodate vessels carrying low-carbon ammonia.
Ultimately, the terminal should receive 200,000 tonnes of low-carbon ammonia per year, equivalent to 10 to 15 ship unloading operations per year.
Various distribution solutions would be offered at the terminal exit:
loading bays for tanker trucks and rail wagons; as Elengy wishes to encourage rail transport, the terminal would be connected to the national rail network,
a pipeline to directly supply other neighbouring industrial sites in the Fos-sur-Mer industrial port zone (ZIP),
refuelling for bunkering vessels; ammonia is one of the alternative fuels that could be developed to decarbonise maritime transport.
Technical feasibility engineering studies are currently being carried out by Tractebel and will be completed in November. Submission of the Environmental Authorisation Application (EAA) is scheduled for mid-2025. The final investment decision is expected in 2026, with commissioning of the new facilities in 2029.
Low-carbon ammonia can contribute directly to the decarbonisation of industries in the southern region and beyond, in a wide range of sectors including agriculture, chemicals and the automotive industry. If it is reconverted into low-carbon hydrogen, it can also make a significant contribution to decarbonising the refining, metallurgy and heavy mobility sectors. The creation of this terminal would therefore be a real lever for supporting the region in its energy transition.
Medhyterra is part of Elengy's long-standing presence in the Fos-sur-Mer area, where the company's 200 employees have been operating the Fos Tonkin LNG terminal since 1972 and the Fos-Cavaou terminal since 2010.
It also illustrates its strategy of transforming its infrastructures into multi-molecule decarbonisation hubs.
