LNG terminal on Krk as part of the growing global LNG market

Količine proizvodnje prirodnog plina i dokazanih rezervi danas, kao i trendovi potrošnje prirodnog plina, u skladu su sa pretpostavkom trenutnog obilja prirodnih resursa. Razvoj tehnologija, dijeljenje znanja i globalizacija ekonomskih tokova, slijedom čega dolazi i do gradnje izvoznih i uvoznih terminala za ukapljeni prirodni plin, doveli su do porasta obujma globalne trgovine prirodnim plinom i veće konkurentnosti opcija plinskog transporta. U ne tako davnoj prošlosti prirodni plin bio je vezan isključivo na kopnenu infrastrukturu – plinovode, te zemljopisnu blizinu nalazišta i potencijalnog potrošača. Razvijanjem proizvodnih procesa ukapljivanja, kriogenog skladištenja i transporta, stvoreni su alati koji su omogućili komercijalizaciju prirodnog plina na svjetskoj razini i njegovu globalnu razmjenu. Kao pogonsko gorivo, ukapljeni prirodni plin nije vezan za kopnenu plinsku infrastrukturu. S druge strane, da bi ovakav plin mogao biti industrijski energent, kopnena infrastruktura je nužan preduvjet. Terminal za ukapljeni prirodni plin u Omišlju na Krku, drugi je postojeći u Jugoistočnoj Europi, nakon Grčke, a njegova pozicija u ovom trenutku bit će, osim za diverzifikaciju i sigurnost opskrbe za domaće tržište prirodnog plina, od važnosti prvenstveno za zemlje gravitirajuće regije (Srednjoistočna Europa – Mađarska, i ubrzo Slovenija, s kojima postoje interkonekcije). Daljnji rast važnosti terminala na Krku, kao ulaznih vrata za diverzificirani izvor opskrbe plinom u ovoj regiji, sa dobrim regionalnim potrošačkim potencijalom, ovisit će o nastavku gospodarsko političke suradnje regije s europskim razvojnim planovima i nastavkom investiranja u razvoj regionalne plinovodne mreže.Quantities of natural gas production and total proved reserves today, as well as trends of natural gas consumption, align with the presumption of current natural resources abundance. Development of technology, know-how sharing and globalization of economic flows, consequently followed by construction of liquefaction plants and regasification terminals for liquefied natural gas, have led to an increase in the volume of natural gas global trade and to the greater competitiveness of gas transportation options. Not long time ago, natural gas trade movements were connected exclusively to onshore gas infrastructure – pipelines, as well as geographical proximity to the gas field and the potential consumers. Through development of the liquefaction process, cryogenic storage and transportation, tools have been created that enable the commercialization of natural gas on a global scale and enable its global exchange. As a propellant, liquefied natural gas is not dependant on onshore gas infrastructure. On the other hand, for liquefied gas to be an industrial fuel, onshore infrastructure is a necessary precondition. The liquefied natural gas terminal in Omišalj, on the island of Krk, is the second existing LNG terminal in Southeastern Europe, after Greece, and its position at this moment will be, except for diversification and security of supply for the domestic natural gas market, important primarily for countries of gravitating region (Central-Eastern European countries, Hungary, and shortly after Slovenia, with existing interconnections). Further growth of the importance of the terminal on Krk, as a gateway to diversified gas supply source in this region, with good regional consumer potential, will depend on continued economic and political cooperation of the region with European development plans and continued investment in regional gas network development