In the second half of 2023, INA’s natural gas processing plant in Molve will start processing gas from MOL’s exploration fields in Hungary.
It is a joint project of two companies called Somogy, which was started back in 2008 and was stopped in the meantime, but has now been restarted due to efforts to reduce reliance on Russian gas imports and increase domestic gas production in Hungary.
The statement from INA said that the Somogy project includes the connection of the Hungarian gas fields Vizvar and Gorgeteg-Babocs to the Gola gas station and the dispatch and processing of gas in the Molve plant. It started in 2008, but was stopped due to the financial crisis. It was restarted last year and the start of processing is expected in the second half of this year.
However, the start of gas processing still needs investment from the MOL side in the construction of 20 kilometers long connection pipeline. Following its completion, Molve plant will receive 170,000 cubic meters of gas per day from MOL’s gas fields.
INA also said that MOL will have to pay a fee for gas processing in Molve plant.