The terminal is the reception infrastructure for liquefied natural gas (LNG) transported over long distances by methane carriers from natural gas producing countries. The LNG terminal is located in Sines, integrated in the Port of Sines, and also includes storage tanks and an LNG regasification station for injection into the transmission network.

LNG consists of natural gas at atmospheric pressure and very low temperatures (-163ºC), allowing a large amount to be concentrated in small volumes. Its cryogenic preservation (at very low temperatures) has demanding technical requirements.

The LNG terminal is one of the main entry points for natural gas into the country, along with international interconnections. In addition to injection into the transmission network - its main purpose - it also provides additional services, such as filling cryogenic tanker trucks (to supply Autonomous Gas Units - UAG), LNG storage tanks (for shipment by vessel or rail) or methane carriers (for the transfer and export of gas).

REN Atlântico, Terminal de GNL, S.A.  is the operator of the LNG terminal (operador do terminal de GNL - OTGNL), under concession. The OTGNL allocates capacity in its infrastructure, to users, through an electronic platform.

The ten-year investment plans for LNG reception infrastructures are part of the investment plan for the transmission network and high-pressure infrastructures (PDIRT-GN).

ERSE is responsible for the economic regulation of the LNG reception, storage and re-gasification activity, setting the tariffs for the use of the infrastructure and the operator’s revenues. 

The rules governing the use of the LNG terminal are set out in the Regulation on Access to Networks, Infrastructures and Interconnections and respective supplementary rules, all approved by ERSE.

To find out more about this, have a look at the pedagogical guide Natural gas: how does it work?