Thailand’s national oil and gas company PTT is teaming up with compatriot the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) for a proposed liquefied natural gas floating storage and regasification unit project the latter is pursuing, writes Amanda Battersby.

Egat has plans for a 5 million tonnes per annum FSRU that it wants to deploy in the Gulf of Thailand, near to existing pipeline infrastructure that delivers supply from the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area to its gas plants.

The mature MTJDA fields are in decline and the FSRU is intended to help meet the shortfall.

Egat and PTT plan to set up a steering committee with the aim of accelerating the FSRU project, said PTT chief executive Tevin Vongvanich. The initial aim has been to have the facility in operation by 2025.

Regasified volumes would be used as feedstock for Egat’s South Bangkok and North Bangkok power plants.

The project already has the support of National Energy Policy Committee as it would both strengthen supply security and bring reasonably priced electricity to consumers.

Egat has already secured approval from PTT that will allow it to import 1.5 million tpa of LNG into PTT’s receiving and regas terminal at Map Ta Phut in Rayong province.

Egat is now working with a consultant regarding the procurement of LNG for this third party access deal with PTT that is due to start in January 2019. The gas that Egat brings into Map Ta Phut will be used at its South Bangkok, Bang Pakong and Wang Noi power plants.

Thailand’s LNG imports are forecast to increase from 5 million tpa in 2016 to 22 million tpa by 2036, which could mean LNG accounting for some 70% of gas demand.

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PTT Egat FSRU Tie-up