Centrica has welcomed the opening of the Qatar partnership's South Hook liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, and has outlined the important role Qatar will play in supplying LNG to the UK.

The South Hook terminal in Milford Haven is the first project to involve Qatar in the UK gas industry and follows the opening of the Qatargas 2 LNG gasification plant in Qatar last month. Gas from Qatargas 2 will be unloaded at South Hook and go directly into the UK's gas network.


Sam Laidlaw, Centrica Chief Executive, said: "The UK is now the world's fastest growing market for imported gas and now has a direct link with Qatar, the world's biggest LNG exporter. This significant milestone in bringing supplying and consuming nations together will be a huge boost to UK energy security.

"The UK and Centrica require a mixed portfolio of energy sources. LNG gives the UK flexible access to major global gas reserves bypassing the need for transit through European markets. Qatar is hugely important in energy terms and a major piece in a complex 'security of supply jigsaw'. Our relationship with Qatar is of particular importance and we look forward to building much closer ties over the coming years."

(CD/JM)