This regasification plant is able to meet 25% of Spain’s demand for natural gas.

Sagunto, 12 December 2011. Saggas has met the established timescales for putting its fourth liquid natural gas (LNG) storage tank into commercial operation. Doing so is the final stage in the successful construction of its new tank, work on which began in 2009 and, with it, the plant’s current storage capacity increases by 33% (up to600,000 m³ of LNG). With its currently installed regasification capacity, some 1,000,000 m³m/h, Saggas can meet up to 25% of Spain’s demand for natural gas.

Since its entry into commercial operation in April 2006, Saggas has extended its facilities, adding two new tanks and a fifth sea water vaporiser. These new installations have doubled the plant’s starting storage capacity and increased its regasification capacity by 33%. Overall investment, including the initial plant and the various additions, stands at a total of 535 million Euros. Furthermore, the energy facility has made modifications to its unloading bay to accommodate the docking requirements of the largest methane tankers in the world, known as Q-Fex and Q-Max, which have already pulled in at Sagunto port.

Construction of the fourth tank

The temporary business partnership made up of Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios, S.A.; Sener Ingeniería y Sistemas, S.A.; Toyo Kanetsu K.K.; and Dywidag International GMBH won the extension contract, which was awarded as a turnkey project. The new tank was connected up to the energy facility this October for the testing phase, prior to its subsequent connection to the Spanish national gas system.

The tank was made using cement with specific properties mixed at plants established at the site of the energy facility itself. Approximately 724,000 hours of work,16,100 m³of reinforced concrete, 3,100 tonnes of conventional structures, 900 tonnes of cryogenic structures and 2,000 tonnes of 9% nickel steel were used for the construction of this fourth tank.

Sagunto: one of the main points of entry for natural gas into Spain

Located on 22 hectaresof land reclaimed from the sea through the expansion of Sagunto port, Saggas has enabled the Valencian Community to become an exporter of natural gas and has reinforced the security of the national gas system by diversifying the points of entry of this energy source into Spain. Sagunto is one of the main points of entry for gas on mainland Spain, thanks to its strategic location along the Mediterranean Basin, close to the producer countries in Africa and the Middle East.

The origin of the LNG unloaded in Sagunto is diverse, coming from as many as 12 different countries. For the most part, Egypt, Algeria and Qatar, though also, to a lesser extent, from Oman, Libya, Trinidad and Tobago, Norway and Yemen, among others. Since its entry into operation, Saggas has been one of the regasification plants with the greatest level of use relative to its installed capacity.

From 1^st January to 30^th October 2011 Saggas has received 57 methane tankers, which have unloaded a total of 2,426,450 tonnes of LNG. This translates into a volume of5,463,962 m³.The plant’s output reached 35,791 GWh in this same period.

Saggas, made up of Unión Fenosa Gas, RREEF Alternative Investments, Osaka Gas UK and Oman Oil Holdings Spain, has achieved ISO certifications in quality and environmental management (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, respectively) and OHSAS 18001 certification for its health and safety management. In 2009 Saggas was the first regasification plant in Spain to obtain the European Union’s EMAS environmental certification.

Download news

Valencia,  07 November 2011. The Fundación Valenciaport has awarded the prize in the category of Best Environmental Management to the Saggas regasification plant in Sagunto. The idea behind these awards, now in their sixth year, is to recognise and encourage the promotion of best practices in quality, environmental management, technological innovation, and training and research within the companies making up the port community.

The awards ceremony was presided over by Rafael Aznar, chairman of the Fundación Valenciaport and the Port Authority of Valencia. Representing Saggas was Santiago Álvarez, general director of the regasification plant. This is the third time that the energy facility has received an award from this foundation: in 2006 for the Best Business Initiative and in 2010 for In-company Training.

Commitment to the environment is a priority objective of the gas infrastructure as a whole and goes beyond scrupulous adherence to international, national, regional and local environmental legislation. In line with this commitment to achieve sustainable economic activity, the company has voluntarily signed up for the Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), becoming the first regasification plant in Spain to gain this accreditation. In addition it can boast ISO 14001 certification for its Environmental Management System, and since its very beginning has been a member of the Valencian Foundation of Environmental Studies.

Saggas has published an Environmental Declaration (2010-2011) which brings together the measures required to avoid any risk of environmental contamination and the implementation of good environmental practices in the development of its activities. This means ensuring its providers operate in a way

that is respectful of the environment and that its in-house team similarly works under these premises. Since it began operations, the energy company has promoted environmental education and training in society as a whole through its collaboration with both public and private organisations in this area.

Saggas is made up of the Unión Fenosa Gas (made up of Eni and Gas Natural Fenosa), RREEF Alternative Investments, Osaka Gas UK and Oman Oil Holdings Spain.

 Download news

Sagunto, 2 November 2011. 60 secondary-level students from the Miguel Hernández Public School for Adult Education in Sagunto visited the Saggas energy facility. The aim of this visit, which was delivered in two groups, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, was to complement the programme on energy sources currently being taught at this school.

The students were accompanied in their visit by the school’s director, José Miguel Marqués, and teachers from the education centre. The visit began with a talk by Saggas’ general director, Santiago Álvarez, outlining the main characteristics and advantages of natural gas as an energy sources and details of the regasification process carried out in Sagunto. Next, the groups were taken on a tour of the plant floor, which gave students an inside-view of the everyday workings of the energy facility. The care and protection of the environment and the security of the regasification plant were the two issues which sparked the most interest among the secondary-level students.

Saggas is made up of Unión Fenosa Gas, RREEF Alternative Investments, Osaka Gas UK and Oman Oil Holdings Spain.

 Download news

 Sagunto, 26 September 2011. Last weekend, Saggas successfully carried out all of the works required to connect the fourth Liquid Natural Gas (LNG)  storage tank up to the regasification plant for its upcoming launch into operation. In order to connect this fourth tank to the energy facility, activity at the plant was stopped for several hours. Once the connection was established, the regasification plant recommenced operations as normal. As per normal procedures, the torch was put into operation during this stop.

Saggas is finalising preparation works for the launch into operation of the fourth tank in the final term of 2011. The launch into operation of the fourth tank will enable the plant to double its initial storage capacity to reach 600,000m³. With a regasification capacity of 1,000,000 m³/hour, Saggas can meet up to 25% of national demand for natural gas. Throughout the five years it has been in operation, the Sagunto-based plant has been the most used facilities in the Spanish gas system in respect of its nominal capacity.

Saggas is made up of Unión Fenosa Gas, RREEF Alternative Investments, Osaka Gas UK and Oman Oil Holdings Spain.

 Download news

Valencia, 18 April 2011. Saggas has reached the five-year mark with an accumulated production volume of around 20 million tonnes of liquid natural gas (LNG). To be exact, between 1 April 2006, when the plant was put into operation, and 31 March 2011, the regasification plant has unloaded a total of 19,862,010 tonnes of LNG, which is equivalent to 302,781 GWh, and has regasified a total of 291,741 GWh.

Over the last five years, a total of 451 methane tankers have docked at the Sagunto-based energy facility. Among them, in September 2010, was the Al Dafna tanker, one of the largest methane carriers in the world, which unloaded at Saggas the largest load of LNG ever received by Spain. The average frequency with which tankers have arrived in Sagunto over these past five years stands at 7.5 tankers per month. The origins of the liquid natural gas delivered to Saggas are very diverse: Egypt, Qatar, Algeria, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Oman, Libya and Norway, for the most part.

With its current storage capacity of 450,000 m³ and regasification capacity of 1,000,000 m³/hour, Saggas can supply up to 25% of Spain’ demand for natural gas. Throughout these past five years in operation, the Sagunto-based plant has been one of the most-used facilities in relation to its nominal capacity within the Spanish gas system.

Saggas to double its original storage capacity in 2011

The entry into commercial operation of the fourth tank, expected by the end of 2011, will double the plant’s original storage capacity, taking it from 300,000m³ to the 600,00m³ capacity it will have with the addition of a fourth tank. Saggas will be commencing the testing stage this summer. Also over these past five years, the plant has increased its regasification capacity by 33.3%, with it now standing at 1,000,000 m³/hour compared to the 750,000m³/hour it began with back in 2006.

Over 500 million euros

The original construction of the plant and all its extensions since then represent an accumulated investment of approximately 535 million euros. Since it came into operation, Saggas has helped reinforce the security of the national gas system by diversifying Spain’s points of entry for this energy source. Natural gas is considered to be the cleanest and most efficient fossil fuel, and the back-up it provides renewable energies makes it a key energy source for sustainable development.

Saggas shareholders include Unión Fenosa Gas, RREEF Alternative Investments, Osaka Gas UK and Oman Oil Holdings Spain.

EMAS certification

In 2009, Saggas became the first regasification plant in Spain to voluntarily subscribe to the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme known by the acronym EMAS. It has also been certified by AENOR as meeting ISO 9001 quality management, ISO 14001 environmental management, and OHSAS 18001 health and safety in the workplace management standards.

Download news

 Sagunto, 7 April 2011. Mila Escanez, a final year primary school pupil from the Sagunto Adventist School, is the winner of the sixth “The Environment We Love” drawing competition, organised by Onda Cero Sagunto in collaboration with SAGGAS, and other organisations and companies. 

This year participation has been particularly high, with primary students from all the schools in the Camp de Morvedre area sending in their vision of the kind of environment they wished was on their doorstep. Large parks, smog-free skies, forests and natural landscapes can be found alongside images of clean seas and recycling bins that encourage the separation of waste and its recycling. We should also highlight the participation and quality of the pieces sent in by students from the San Cristóbal Special Education Centre.

SAGGAS collaboration in this initiative comes as part of its commitment to society that goes beyond its business activity, and which manifests itself in its involvement in activities of a cultural, educational and social nature. Commitment to the environment is also a key priority within SAGGAS Corporate Social Responsibility model.

Valencia, 2 February 2011. In the 2010 financial year, the Sagunto-based regasification plant unloaded a total of 3,653,849 million tonnes of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG). The natural gas introduced by Saggas into the general gas network during 2010 is equivalent to the amount consumed by nearly 4.5 million households. Saggas received a total of 76 methane tankers, for the most part arriving from Egypt, Algeria, Oman, Nigeria, Qatar, Trinidad and Tobago and Lybia.

In September 2010, for the first time since its launch into commercial operation in April 2006, the loading bay at Saggas welcomed one of the greatest capacity methane tankers in the world. The arrival of the Q-Max class Al-Dafna tanker, with the capacity to transport as much as 266,000 m³ of LNG, constituted the largest unloading of LNG carried out in Spain to date.

The average level of use of the Saggas facilities in 2010 stands at around 53%, which positions Saggas as the Spain’s second regasification plant when ranked in terms of percentage use of nominal capacity

4th LNG storage tank

Saggas is working on the construction of its fourth LNG storage tank, which is expected to be up-and-running by 2012. The commissioning of this new tank will allow Saggas to increase its current storage capacity from 450,000 m³ to 600,000 m³.

Saggas shareholders include Unión Fenosa Gas, RREEF Alternative Investments, Osaka Gas UK and Oman Oil Holdings Spain. The Sagunto-based regasification plant has the capacity to meet up to 20% of Spain’s demand for natural gas.

Since it came into operation, Saggas has been playing its part to reinforce the security of the national gas system, facilitating the diversification of Spain’s points of entry for this energy source. Natural gas is considered to be the cleanest and most efficient of all the fossil fuels. Its support for renewable energies positions it as a key energy source for sustainable development.

Download news

Sagunto, 21 December 2010. Ernesto Vicente Punter was the winner of the first ever ‘Saggas Under The Lens’ photography competition. The winning image of this initiative features the curtain of water covering the hull of a methane tanker as it unloads Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) into the regasification plant’s storage tanks.

Saggas organised this competition for the first time this year to encourage the involvement of its employees, asking them to express their vision of the company in photo-form.

Sagunto, 8 November 2010. Saggas and Cardenal Herrera CEU University has presented the prizes for the eighth Christmas Greetings Design Competition.

The prize for Best Project was awarded to industrial design undergraduate, Noelia Ruiz Teruel. The prize for Most Creative Project went to Estefanía Domingo Molins, currently taking a masters in design engineering, while the runner-up prize was awarded to Adrián Romero Mora, second year student of audiovisual communications.

The theme of this year’s competition is based on two messages. Firstly, the idea of natural gas as a clean and efficient energy that is fundamental to economic and social development and, secondly, Saggas’ contribution to ensuring its supply to both the Valencian Community and Spain as a whole.

The three prizes were presented at the end of Conference “2.0”, held by design company Enblanc. At this conference, after describing various experiences, the company delivered a unique speech about the concept of “2.0” in a presentation in which all those present actively participated.

This initiative is part of the partnership agreement signed between SAGGAS and the Cardenal Herrera CEU University. It aims to provide students a real, practical experience of the process whereby the designer takes the initial briefing of a company’s requirements and develops it into a final project. Since its first year, over 480 projects have been entered for this competition.

Since its beginnings, Saggas has been committed to the environment, society and the local community in a way that goes beyond its business activity, with it also promoting initiatives with a cultural, educational, economic and social focus.

Saggas shareholders include Unión Fenosa Gas, RREEF Alternative Investments, Endesa Generación and Oman Oil Holdings Spain. The energy facility has turned Sagunto into one of the main points of entry for gas on mainland Spain thanks to its strategic position along the Mediterranean rim, close to the producer countries of Northern Africa and the Middle East.

Download news

Valencia, 22nd October 2010.- The Sagunto-based regasification plant, Saggas, and Cardenal Herrera CEU University have announced the opening of the Christmas Greetings Design Competition. The competition is aimed at students from all faculties of the Cardenal Herrera CEU University and the presentation period for entries runs until 3 November. 

The competition has two categories: Best Project, with a first prize of €600 –also being the design used by Saggas for this year’s seasonal greetings card–, and a second prize of €150; and Most Creative Project, with a first prize of €300. 

This initiative is part of the partnership agreement signed between SAGGAS and the Cardenal Herrera CEU University, the objective of which is to provide students a real, practical experience of the process whereby the designer takes the initial briefing of a company’s requirements and develops it into a final project. Since its first year, over 480 projects have been entered for this competition. 

Saggas manages the commercial operations and maintenance of the regasification plant in Sagunto. Since its beginnings, Saggas has been committed to the environment, society and the local community in a way that goes beyond its business activity, with it also promoting initiatives with a cultural, educational, economic and social focus. 

Download news