Energy, EU – Baltic States, Gas, Legislation, Lithuania

“There are also other companies, that’s true… There’re more companies but we have to get all infrastructure ready, to put all legislation in place. We’ve just started operations and we know now what the market needs and we’re making adjustments gradually,” Rokas Masiulis told BNS on Tuesday.

Bomin Linde LNG and Klaipedos Nafta are on Tuesday signing an agreement on the establishment of a joint venture, which will operate a small bunkering carrier to transport gas between the LNG facility and the gas distribution station that will come into operation in 2017.

“We’ve a clear division here in Lithuania – Klaipedos Nafta, as an infrastructure operator, shall make sure that infrastructure, including the terminal and the gas distribution station, is operational. They sign an agreement with Bomin Linde and will use that small vessel to fill up the gas station. Hence their goal is to provide infrastructure. They won’t be traders,” the minister said.

In his view, such a mode of cooperation would not breach the provisions of the European Union’s (EU) Third Energy Package, under which infrastructure operators should be separate from traders.

“No [the provisions won’t be breached], since Klaipedos Nafta won’t trade,” the minister said.

He said that he expected that Litgas, a gas trading company, would complete talks with Statoil successfully and would also establish a joint venture and would launch small-scale trade in gas.

“Litgas is holding talks with Statoil and I hope that the talks will be successful. Hence one party will provide infrastructure and others will trade,” the minister told BNS.