Regional LNG: Thailand inaugurates sixth gas separation plant and LNG terminal

Thailand on Wednesday inaugurates Gas Separation Plant (GSP) Unit 6, operated by the country?s oil and gas company PTT Plc. The plant, located in Tambon Map Ta Phut, Amphoe Mueang Rayong, is the largest single gas separation unit in Thailand, with a feed capacity of 800 million cubic feet a day (MMCFD),

Prasert Bunsumpun, President & CEO of PTT, said the GSP Unit 6 will promote the development of Thailand?s petrochemical industry and produce LPG to meet domestic demand.

This supplements value to natural gas derived from the Gulf of Thailand while maximizing the value of indigenous natural resources. Its maximum ethane output is 630.000 tons/year; propane and LPG, 1.030.000 tons/year; and NGL, 160.000 tons/year, for a total output of 1.820.000 tons/year.

GSP Unit 6 helps Thailand add value to natural gas through the processing of its outputs into intermediate and downstream petrochemical feedstock for several downstream industries, including food packaging, auto-assembly parts, electrical wires and cables, and household items.

Besides lowering industrial imports, Unit 6 promotes the exporting of these goods, thus promoting domestic economic expansion and adding domestic jobs.

On the same day, Thailand also inaugurates the Map Ta Phut LNG Terminal, operated by PTT LNG Co., Ltd., a first in Southeast Asia. The LNG terminal is located on 460 rai of land, also in Tambon Map Ta Phut, Amphoe Mueang, Rayong. The terminal not only accommodates LNG imports by PTT to meet the rising demand for natural gas, but also adds to the country's national energy security.

The PTT president & CEO added that this LNG terminal can initially offtake and unload up to 5 million tons a year (700 MMCFD) initially, extendable to 10 million tons a year (1.400 MMCFD). The terminal consists of two 160.000-cubic-meter LNG storage tanks and a port for all sizes of LNG vessels from 125.000 to 264.000 cubic meters.

Construction had been completed and tested in late May this year, and commercial operation had just begun on September 6. The terminal is capable of development into an LNG commercial hub for Southeast Asia, which would further enhance Thailand?s energy security. (romel)