Teréga
Espace pédagogique

What is a methane terminal?

A methane terminal is a port specially set up to accommodate ships transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The gas is actually transported by ship in a liquid state, because this takes up less space than when it is a gas. A methane terminal receives the shipments of LNG from the methane tankers and recharges them. It is also equipped with cryogenic storage reservoirs to store LNG as a liquid, along with regasification units to enable it to be released into the national transport grid as a gas. Before injection into the grid, the gas is metered and odorised for safety reasons.

France currently has 4 methane terminals:

  • one in Dunkirk, in the Nord department,

  • one in Montoir-de-Bretagne, near to Saint-Nazaire in Loire-Atlantique,

  • and two in Fos-sur-Mer, in the south.

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