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Thai LNG imports are projected to climb to 250mn cubic feet per day (2.58bn cubic metres
27mn tonnes in 2037 from 4.4mn tonnes in per year) of gas. This gas will be used as fuel
2018, with the chilled fuel set to account for at thermal power plants (TPPs), providing a
70% of the country’s gas supplies compared with cleaner and less costly option than crude oil and
around 13% in 2018. heavy fuel oil.
LNG may also gain ground more quickly in Helios partner Ogbemi Ofuya suggested
the short term, with energy planners reportedly Access LNG could provide additional LNG
planning to scale up the use of two import termi- projects in sub-Saharan Africa. The current
nals to offset an anticipated production blip from low price of gas, he said, means “there is a great
the offshore Erawan gas field from 2022. opportunity for Access to support markets
The Bangkok Post reported in October that switching to natural gas as a clean, cheap transi-
the government wanted to use spare capacity at tion fuel as we push developments to support a
the Map Ta Phut and Nong Fab LNG import ter- greener, more efficient energy economy.”
minals at Rayong to supply gas to TPPs owing to In other news, Germany’s Uniper revealed
anticipated delays in PTT Exploration and Pro- last week that it had teamed up with UAE-based
duction (PTTEP) assuming control of the field Neutral Fuels to provide maritime biofuels in
from Chevron. Fujairah, a major hub for bunkering in the Gulf Repsol will cut
PTTEP has said the US super-major’s arbi- region. The pair will blend very low sulphur fuel
tration with the government over Erawan will oil (VLSFO) supplied by Uniper’s marine fuel back on upstream
stop it from installing production facilities this unit Uniper Energy DMCC (UED) with Neutral
year. Chevron’s concession for Erawan expires in Fuels’ biofuel. This will create a fuel that com- investment in
2022, with PTTEP set to take over after having plies with International Maritime Organisation order to plough
won the field’s contract in December 2018. (IMO) standards.
The super-major has, however, locked horns The announcement comes as the IMO looks more money into
with Bangkok over a retroactive law passed in to strengthen requirements for vessel energy
2016 that requires operators to cover the decom- efficiency and impose tougher carbon intensity renewables
missioning costs of equipment they installed, reduction requirements. These new rules will
even if another developer takes over the field and likely spur more shipowners to seek out biofuels.
associated equipment.
If you’d like to read more about the key events shaping
If you’d like to read more about the key events shaping the downstream sector of Africa and the Middle East,
Asia’s oil and gas sector then please click here for then please click here for NewsBase’s DMEA Monitor.
NewsBase’s AsianOil Monitor.
European climate goals
DMEA: Ghana LNG scheme secures funds Spanish energy firm Repsol has unveiled its
Ghana’s plans to import LNG have just received a 2021-2025 strategic plan, announcing it would
kick-start, with the Emerging Africa Infrastruc- cut back on upstream investment in order to
ture Fund (EAIF) agreeing to provide a $31mn plough more money into renewables. Repsol’s
loan to a regasification scheme in the port of plans mirror those of other climate-conscious oil
Tema. and gas companies in Europe such as BP, which
The loan, with a duration of 10 years, will go is likewise seeking to pour billions into clean
to the project’s developer Access LNG, a joint energy in the coming years at the expense of its
venture between Helios Investment Partners and traditionally core oil and gas business.
Gasfin Development. The pair reached financial The company aims to invest a total of €18.3bn
close on the scheme on November 16. ($21.8bn) in 2021-2025, of which €5.5bn will be
According to Gasfin, the terminal will deliver spent on growing its low-carbon business.

Week 48 02•December•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P7