2015-03-02 17:05 Author: Tomasz neighbor, ( IAR), (PAP) [Photo: Ministry of the Treasury] 
all bad – just two words to describe the conclusions of the Supreme Chamber of Control for the construction of a gas terminal in Swinoujscie. Investment that can cater up to one-third of the annual Polish demand for gas, would be ready in 2014, but it will be a year later. At the earliest. Blame the government and the government responsible for the construction of the company, this happens a dispute with the general contractor – points out the SCC. Despite requests Treasury Minister Vladimir Karpinski (pictured) for confidential report, today’s paper saw the light of day.
Currently, the LNG terminal in Swinoujscie is ready in 96 percent. – Very little is missing completely. Stick to the version that will certainly be this year – provides Marcin Kierwiński, head of the political cabinet Ewa Kopacz.
– These four percentages may be the most difficult, the key to the whole project. Therefore it is not easy to clearly say when you can run a LNG terminal – explained in an interview with Money.pl Robert Zajdler with Sobieski Institute, an expert on the energy sector. But he added that the deadline for the end of the year is very likely.
Ministry of the Treasury on the allegations of inadequate supervision of the entire investment process responds that did everything we could. The official position of the NIK report also announces that the state of implementation of the project does not affect the stability and continuity of supply of gas to domestic consumers .
As the ministry spokesman argues Agnieszka Jablonska-quark, the request withheld the conclusions of the report NIK was associated with the negotiations with the general contractor. – Parliament calls for more money for, he said, the additional work done – explains Jabłońska-quark. He adds that the company responsible for the investment of Polish LNG those claims are not considered, and the publication of details of the dispute weakens its negotiating position.
Nine years of efforts to LNG
The rate at which employs a general contractor, a consortium led by Italian company Saipem, a direct cause project delays stretching from nine years. In 2006, the government adopted a resolution on the basis of which he created a program to build huge gas tanks, able to receive liquefied gas from tankers and replace it back into gas. This is one of the elements of the strategy of independence from supplies from Russia because the Kremlin uses gas as the main argument when negotiating any conflicts with the west of Europe. Thanks to this terminal, you can buy gas from whom you want, regardless of whether there is a connection with the pipeline or not.
Before the government has managed to forge a resolution adopted by the Parliament Act, passed almost three years. At that time, the Polish law is simplified so that, in general, these could be legally put new gas tanks. Divided responsibilities for the supervision of the project to the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of the Treasury, was also established organizational structure of companies that have to deal with the construction. In short, it looks like that the whole watching the Treasury, and the executive body of the company are Polish LNG and gas-system. The first one is one hundred percent owned by the latter, and the latter – one hundred percent owned by the Treasury.
delays and disputes
In the middle of 2009, PGNiG signed an agreement with Qatar Qatargas company a contract for 20-year supply of natural gas. A year later, Polish LNG has signed an agreement for the construction of the terminal in Swinoujscie with a consortium headed by Saipem. Saipem subcontractors hired and began to build a huge plant, able to receive and process up to five billion cubic meters of gas per year (all of our demand is about 16 billion).
Originally LNG terminal had become operational in mid-2014, but soon on the site there were problems. Several subcontractors declared bankruptcy, missed the hands to work, and the general contractor had made the subsequent stages of construction at the time. We had to write an annex to the agreement – the terminal will be ready for the end of 2014, with a six-month delay – agreed on both sides. PGNiG began to renegotiate the contract with Katarczykami to gas sent us a little later than initially we agreed.
| Qatar gives us the flexibility |
| – The successful negotiations with the company Quatargas will not be liable for any additional costs for uncollected gas – says in the message issued today, Treasury Minister Wlodzimierz Karpinski. While the details of the agreement are confidential, Robert Zajdler explains how to read the press releases available on this subject. – They show that PGNiG was able to get along with quite flexibly Quatargasem what to charge and gas supplies. Qataris gave us quite a lot of flexibility as to when we get to them first gas and pay for it. On the other hand if it lengthened even further, with the approval of Qataris PGNiG relieve us of the obligation to purchase raw materials and try to sell it at market prices. We remain align their possible difference in price. Alternatively, we can also try to sell themselves – says the expert. |
This came dispute between the contractor and the Transportation Technical Supervision. Went for the division of powers is that sections of pipelines are subject to statutory inspection TDT, which only conformity assessment. In addition, the TDT played a double role, there was a conflict of interest. – supervision exercised statutory inspection tasks in relation to the contractor for the project. At the same time, being paid by the contractor to carry out the assessment of compliance with the technical requirements of equipment – explains spokesman Paul Biedziak NIK.
NIK criticizes the Ministry and its companies that do not upilnowały general contractor that in the process of Investment Chaos broke out and ran coordinator of all activities. The Chamber also scores points that no one foresaw all possible scenarios of events, with the conflict of TDT and bankrutującymi subcontractors at the helm.
Who is responsible
– It is true that in signing the agreement we have evaluated all risks not – admits Robert Zajdler with Sobieski Institute. – Saipem in the tender offered the lowest price, and therefore won . However, what at first seems the cheapest is not always such is already at the end of the day. The contract was signed with the assumption that the contractor will be good, and the market will develop harmoniously. Meanwhile, the economic downturn led to the failure of subcontractors and delays – explains the expert, adding that this will finish dialing the performers at the lowest price. – The current situation is therefore not so much the fault of the government, a particular ministry or its subordinate companies, only Polish public procurement law .
| West gas is not so expensive | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – LNG prices are falling steadily. This is due to the oversupply of this commodity markets, which is why more and more exchanges sell it cheaper. Buying gas liquids pays more – says Robert Zajdler. There are also important declines in oil prices. In January 2015 years per thousand cubic meters of LNG cheapest US had to pay $ 116 (United have two collection points, the difference in price is huge, see table). Meanwhile, Poland Gazprom sells gas at a price of around $ 400. Another issue is the transport by ocean. However, as the example of the Lithuanians, who on Friday signed with the United contract for the supply of the raw material of the blue, it must pay them.
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And what about the charge that ran throughout the project coordinator and competent people? – They are two sides of the coin. The Ministry of the Treasury and its subordinate companies was not at that time specialists liquefied natural gas. It was all new to us and to the learned. If the government has hired an outside company, managers and consultants, and took advantage of their knowledge, could soon appear complaint is that the waste of millions of dollars from the public coffers. I have the impression that public opinion condemns such practices. A public administration, due to the risks associated with difficulty to explain them during the inspection, often afraid to use them – says Robert Zajdler.
Resort confident
– General Contractor uses to the public investment completion date in July 2015 to submit further requests for increased funding – complains in today’s Communication Minister Wlodzimierz Karpinski Treasury. – There is no consent. In this context, as in recent years has increased the security of gas Polish, the term is for us less important, more important to an investment that will serve Poland for the next 50 years, she was of the highest quality and we followed her przepłacili not – adds.
Today, two-thirds of our annual gas demand can be imported from the West – according to data from the Ministry of Treasury. For this alone we can extract 4.4 billion cubic meters of gas a year – nearly one-third. The underground gas storage can and keep another 2.7 billion.
When it comes to gas, so we are safe – provides Wlodzimierz Karpinski. About our energy security is also a quiet Robert Zajdler. Although he admits that without ready gasport rather we do not have to count on the high gain negotiating position on gas purchases from Russia. Therefore, if unlikely to be cheaper.
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