BP Tangguh asked to work with Genting in train 3 project

Upstream oil and gas regulator BPMIGAS has proposed to BP (Tangguh) to team up with Genting Oil Kasuri Pte Ltd, operator of Kasuri block, in developing LNG plant train 3 project in Tangguh, Papua.

 

Deputy chairman for operation of BPMIGAS, Rudi Rubiandini said such scheme has also been carried out by Total, Eni of Italy and Vico in East Kalimantan.

 

?The purpose is to make the LNG train 3 plant and petrochemical plant to be developed in the area more commercially viable,? Rudi Rubiandini told Petromindo.com.

 

He said if Genting joins the project, the annual capacity of train 3 would rise to 5 MTPA from 3.8 MTPA if BP Tangguh develops the facility on its own.

 

At present, BP is reviewing gas reserves in its fields to supply gas to LNG plant train 3, including further developing Vorwata field.

 

Tangguh is a massive gas project located in the Bintuni Bay area in West Papua with total proven gas reserves of 14.4 trillion cubic feet.

 

The Tangguh LNG plant consists of two production units, each with capacity of 3.8 million tons of LNG per year.

BP started the first production unit, Train 1, in February 2009 and the second, Train 2, in July 2009.

 

BP has conducted a seismic survey on the Berau, Muturi and Wiriagar blocks in Papua in an effort to find more gas for future train 3 and train 4 of the Tangguh LNG plant.

 

Last month, Evita Legowo, Director General for Oil and Gas at the Energy and Mineral Resource Ministry, said BP is still assessing the gas reserves before going a ahead with the construction of the third and fourth LNG train.

 

BP is the operator of the Tangguh field, holding a 37.16 percent stake in the project. Other partners are MI Berau B.V. (16.3 percent), China-based CNOOC (13.9 percent), Nippon Oil Exploration (Berau) (12.23 percent), KG Berau/KG Wiriagar (10 percent), LNG Japan Corporation (7.35 percent) and Australia-based Talisman (3.06 percent).

 

(bernard)