France’s Fos-sur-Mer LNG sendout cut by strikes

Sendout at France's 6mn t/yr Fos Cavaou and 2.2mn t/yr Fos Tonkin terminals will be limited until the end of tomorrow's gas day because of strike action, terminal operator Elengy said today, but no regasification is nominated at Fos Tonkin until 17 February.

The strike began on 9 February at Fos Cavaou, where sendout dropped to 45 GWh/d on 9-11 February, from 144 GWh/d earlier in the month (see Fos Cavaou graph). Regasification at the facility was nominated today to hold at 45 GWh/d on 12-13 February, before climbing to 361 GWh/d for the rest of the month. The facility has nominated to receive its next delivery on 14 February. It had previously nominated to receive a cargo on 9 February, which may have been from the 173,600m³ Castillo de Santisteban, which has held offshore the port of Fos-sur-Mer since 8 February.

And sendout at Fos Tonkin halted on 10 February and is nominated to remain off line until 17 February. Regasification is then nominated to tick up gradually on 17 February, with the facility scheduled to next receive a cargo on 18 February (see Fos Tonkin graph).

"General management and the union organisations have been in negotiations since January about salary complements for 2024," Elengy said, adding that discussions with France's CGT trade union continue.

French LNG sendout already fell to its lowest since 15 October on 10 February. French regasification slipped to 611 GWh on 10 February, from 781 GWh/d earlier in the month (see sendout graph).

But mild weather could limit French demand in the coming days. Overnight lows in Paris were forecast today to hold 3.3°C above seasonal norms on 12-24 February.

By Auguste Breteau