Regional LNG: Total mulls LNG facility in Bataan

French oil and gas firm Total (Philippines) Corp. is in talks with the Department of Energy for its plans to put up a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Bataan, Manila Bulletin Online reported.

Total President and Managing Director Jeff Atwood also disclosed that the company is now negotiating with the PNOC-Exploration Corp. for the possibility of expanding its LNG business and operations in the country. The PNOC unit has an agreement with BP Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. and GNPower Ltd. Co. for the development of the domestic downstream natural gas sector.

According to Atwood, "(we plan) to engage in the importation of LNG into the Philippines. We are now talking with the PNOC-EC and DoE people." He also revealed plans of participating in the re-gasification projects in Bataan.

Total said it is prepared to compete with other parties who are also engaged in negotiations with PNOC-EC for the similar project. EC, based on its MOU with the private sector component of the project, will take charge in the financing, development and operation of the natural gas project. In the meantime GNPower will handle the LNG import terminal development within the energy complex in Bataan.

Under the PNOC proposal, EC will also commit to raise at least $80 million of the $100 million required for the construction of a gas pipeline from Batangas to Manila (Batman I). The DoE has already approved the Batman I project. Besides Batman I, the government is planning to put up two more gas pipeline from Bataan to Manila (Batman II) and Batangas to Cavite (Batcave).

Total is the world's fourth largest oil and gas company. Its global operations cover the entire oil and gas chain, from exploration and production and the gas downstream to trading, shipping, refining and marketing. It recently invested P280 million to put up a ninemillion liters storage facility along Manila Bay.

Based on company information, Total activities cover both upstream and downstream areas of the oil industry ranging from exploration, development and production of crude oil and gas and the marketing of petroleum products. The key areas of upstream operations are in the Middle East particularly in the United Arab Emirates, the North Sea, Far East (including Indonesia and Thailand), Latin America (Argentina and Columbia) and Africa (Angola, Congo and Nigeria).(*)