Maintenance of Algeria’s Skikda LNG unit, which closed two weeks ago, could take up to two months, a source at state- owned oil and gas company Sonatrach told Reuters on Sunday.
The source said bad weather and rough seas have also partially shut down exports from the plant in northern Algeria, a major gas supplier to Europe mainly to Italy, Spain and France.
“The oil port is closed for bad weather, but also because the 4.7 million tonnes-per-year LNG unit has been shut down for maintenance, which started about two weeks ago, and it will last two months.”
Last week, a shipping source told Reuters some Skikda cargoes had been canceled or deferred with one cargo due to be exported in the next few days and another around 20th of February.
Meanwhile, live ship-tracking on Reuters Eikon last week showed no ships currently listed as bound for Skikda.
Skikda plant’s LNG unit has a capacity of 4.7mn tonnes a year.Â
