First ever mobile LNG supply station used in Järvakandi

For the first time ever in Estonia, Eesti Gaas used a mobile gas supply solution to provide O-I Production Estonia AS, a glass factory located in Järvakandi, with LNG for 63 hours. The solution involves tank trucks, including a specially delivered tank trailer equipped with special LNG regasification unit (RGU).

“Continuous gas supply is vital for the glass factory. As glass is melted in a glass furnace which requires constant heating and constant high temperature, interruptions in its operation would result in major economic losses. Eesti Gaas ensured reliable and safe supply during a scheduled outage in Elering’s network,” noted Kaido Turro, member of the management board of O-I Production Estonia AS.

According to Raul Kotov, member of the management board of AS Eesti Gaas, gas supply and the technological solutions involved functioned smoothly. “We had ordered the RGU from Poland and, as it proved to of great use and we strive to guarantee gas supply to our customers during unexpected and short-term outages, we are considering the idea of purchasing an LNG regasification unit, too,” Kotov said.

Temporary gas supply in Järvakandi was provided during the outage which took place due to scheduled repairs performed by Elering, the owner of the gas transmission network. LNG was supplied to the gas transmission network at Järvakandi gas distribution station located within a few kilometers of the glass plant. A total of 130 m3 of LNG was delivered from the LNG terminal in Klaipeda in special tanks by trailer trucks. The natural gas liquefied at the low temperature of -160 degrees was regasified by means of a mobile RGU and supplied into the distribution network at the gas distribution station.

The O-I glass factory in Järvakandi, one of the most advanced glass plants in Europe, employs 160 workers. Founded in 1903, O-I operates in 21 countries all over the world. The group owns more than 80 production facilities and provides around 26,000 jobs. The glass factory in Järvakandi was purchased by O-I in 1995.