Bahrain’s National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) chairman Abdul Hussain Mirza, told the official Bahrain News Agency on 20 October that the initial study will assess the best configuration and location for constructing the terminal.

If the terminal is commercially viable, Mirza says it will consider creating a joint venture to own and operate the facility between Hess LNG and the state-run Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco).

Mirza says Noga is in negotiations to import natural gas but declined to specify any further details.

Earlier in 2008, Bahrain’s government called for the creation of a GCC-wide gas pipeline network to allow member states to pool gas supplies for industrial users and power generation (MEED 30:5:08).

It is also negotiating with Doha and Tehran to import gas directly through sub-sea pipelines.