Delimara gas plant: 7,300 square-metre jetty to be constructed for LNG ship

Malta Power and Gas Ltd, a company created by the Maltese government for the task of obtaining permits for the new power station before the bidder is selected, has presented three options for the new Delimara gas-powered plant - two of which include offshore storage on a permanent vessel berthed to a jetty.

All three options include a 7,300 square metre jetty at Delimara, which juts from a disturbed area in Delimara in the direction of Fort Delimara facing the is-Serc coastline.

The planning application was presented to MEPA on 19 July and is still at the preliminary screening stage.

According to the project development statement (PDS) submitted in June, the construction of a jetty is a requirement for both offshore and onshore gas storage.

In the first option, Option A, two gas storage tanks over 36 metres high are located on disturbed land on the Delimara site, while the regasification plant, including an 80 metre high chimney is located near the present present power station.

In Option B, a storage vessel is anchored next to the jetty and the regasification plant and chimney are located near the present power station.

In Option C, the vessel is also anchored next to the jetty, while the regasification plant and chimney are located on disturbed land identified for the storage tanks in option A.

In all three options, the jetty would jut out from the disturbed area in the direction of Fort Delimara.

Plans presented by the Labour Party before the general election did not make any reference to the construction of a jetty or to the offshore storage of gas on a vessel berthed to the jetty.

In fact all new infrastructure was envisioned to take place within the footprint of the existing power station.

Floating LNG terminals are being hailed by many in the industry as a low-cost revolution for meeting growing gas demands.

For his part, former PN energy minister Tonio Fenech criticised Labour for omitting any reference to the need for building a long jetty, which he claimed would cost around €50 million. Tonio Fenech also questioned the suitability of the land around the Delimara plant for the development of an liquid natural gas (LNG) terminal.

Architect Peter Zammit - a former MEPA board member under the previous administration, who works for the IAS architectural firm - designed the plans presented to MEPA. Past clients of IAS include the US Embassy, Lufthansa Technik, Pender Ville Ltd and Oil Tanking Co.

7,300 m² jetty

Unloading facilities with sufficient water depth are required in order to allow LNG tankers to come alongside and discharge their load, implying that potential land reclamation and dredging works will be required.

According to the PDS, this may require the construction of a jetty, which would also include cryogenic pipes leading onshore.

Such a jetty is considered necessary in order to maintain a safe distance between the LNG unloading vessel and any storage tanks.

LNG will flow from the ship through unloading arms into the storage tanks.

The size of the jetty will be dependent upon the size of the LNG tankers, which will supply the site. These may be up to 300 metres in length and with a draft of up to 12 metres. Up to 180,000 cubic metres of storage may be required to store the LNG prior to regasification.

Storing gas on a vessel

If an offshore terminal is selected, the 180,000 m3 vessel will be moored at the jetty.

Typical dimensions for a vessel with 180,000 m3 storage are a length of up to 300 metres and a beam of up to 52 metres. It could have a draft of 12 metres, a freeboard of 20 metres and superstructure approximately 25 metres above the freeboard. This could be moored indefinitely at a location close to the power station. According to the PDS, this ship can include upon its upper deck the equipment required for the regasification of LNG. Gas will be stored in tanks incorporated into the hull of the ship.

The PDS also states that it may be necessary to remove or relocate the existing Has‐Saptan refuelling dolphin in order to facilitate the movement of ships in Marsaxlokk Bay.