Repsol prepares for 1st gas shipment to Canaport LNG in Saint John

Repsol Energy Canada is preparing to receive its first shipment of liquefied natural gas at its Canaport LNG facility in Saint John.

Construction at the onshore facility is nearly complete, and the first shipment  is expected by the end of next month.

Denis Marcoux, vice-president of Repsol Canada, told the National Conference of Energy Regulators on Monday that it's still too early to say exactly what the demand will be for shipments and production.

"We're looking at what will be the market requirement for our product into the marketplace," he said.

"We want to gauge what's the appetite into the marketplace. So we're in a situation where it's more difficult to size the level of production."

He said the terminal's jetty is almost done, and that means just some painting and cleanup work remain to be done.

The company's website said 99.5 per cent of the offshore work and 84 per cent of the onshore work are complete.

Marcoux said the company plans to start operating with one tank. A second tank will begin operating in about a month

Repsol owns 75 per cent of the Canaport terminal, while Irving Oil Ltd. has the remaining 25 per cent share in the complex.

Marcoux said despite the troubling economic climate worldwide, he expects the Canaport LNG project will be a key player in Canada's energy sector.