Alexandroupolis: How will “Orpheus” operate as a floating terminal

In November 2023 off the coast Alexandroupolis will “catch” a ship like it has not anchored in Greek seas so far. The Balkan societies and economies – and of course the Greek one – are waiting “like water in the (energy) desert” that is erased in front of them at the moment when the ship will appear in the Thracian Sea and their anxiety was expressed yesterday by their leaders in Alexandroupolis.

For the time being, “Orpheus”, as (most likely) will be registered in the energy “register”, at these critical moments for the supply of the Balkans is in a specialized shipyard in Singapore where it undergoes the necessary modifications to become a floating platform (FSR) liquefied natural gas (LNG) gasification. Based on the initial plans, it will be ready to serve the project of energy detoxification from Russia of the countries of Southeastern Europe – with of course first Greece, which only from the FSRU of Alexandroupolis will cover 80% of its energy needs – next November.

However, due to the state of emergency created by the war in Ukraine, it is considered very likely that the completion of the work will be accelerated, so that it can be put into operation sooner.

The length of “Orpheus” is 300 m. and will anchor at a distance of 17.6 km from the coastat a point where the water has a depth of 40 meters, to be a permanent – hub for Greece and Southeastern Europe – natural gas feeder.

The process

Every two weeks, a large tanker loaded with 145,000-180,000 km will support him with the help of tugs. LNG in liquid form and temperature -160 degrees, which will come from the USA, Canada, Egypt, Qatar, Algeria or elsewhere. From there, the LNG will be transfused with special tubes and in liquid form in the “belly” of “Orpheus” where it will be regasified and then stored with environmentally friendly procedures, as assured by experts of the company Gastrade that will “run” the project. Connected pipelines 28 km long connected to the FSRU reefs will transport the gas to the coast and there will channel it to the National Gas Transmission System, but also to another point with TAP.
At the height of Komotini, via the Greek-Bulgarian IGB interconnector, which is expected to be ready at the end of next month, quantities of gas will leave for Bulgaria and the other Balkan countries and possibly further north. In the interior of the Greek territory and specifically outside Thessaloniki, near Nea Mesimvria, it has been agreed from Athens and Skopje to build another interconnection axis (pipeline), which will transport gas to Northern Macedonia and possibly to Kosovo and Serbia. In contrast to the IGB, which is in the final phase of its completion – although under the responsibility of the Greek side and this project went back – the pipeline to Northern Macedonia is delayed, as DESFA is preparing a viability study for the project.

In addition to the pipelines, the FSRU will be able to transfer LNG to smaller boats (barges) with a storage capacity of 3,000-20,000 cubic meters, which will approach the port of Alexandroupolis and from there will supply natural gas to trucks to transport LNG to customers. off-grid, while transhipment on trains can work accordingly.

Until now, in Greece LNG is gasified only at the LNG terminal of Revythousa by DESFA, which is one of the five shareholders of Gastrade, however, as announced by Mr. Mitsotakis, apart from the FSRU of Alexandroupolis, the installation of a second floating platform in the Thracian Sea. The total investment budget of the FSRU of Alexandroupolis amounts to about 400,000,000 euros, with the support of the EU and except Bulgaria (with a percentage of 20%) and Cyprus participate.

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