Page 4 - AsiaElec Week 36 2021

AsiaElec COMMENTARY AsiaElec

Indonesia approves Tangguh LNG

expansion, CCUS plan

Indonesia’s oil and gas regulator has approved BP-led plans for Tangguh LNG, which involve
the development of the Ubadari natural gas field and a carbon capture project at Vorwata

INDONESIA INDONESIAN regulator SKK Migas has Tangguh plans
approved the development plan for an expan- The plan approved by SKK Migas involves the
sion and a carbon capture, utilisation and stor- development of the Ubadari natural gas field, as
age (CCUS) project at BP’s Tangguh LNG export well as output being raised at the Vorwata gas
complex in Papua Barat. The move comes as the field thanks to the use of CCUS. The develop-
energy transition is increasingly in the spotlight, ment is estimated to enable a potential additional
and oil and gas companies are grappling with the recovery of 1.3 trillion cubic feet (36.8bn cubic
question of how to keep producing while pursu- metres) of gas, from both the Ubadari and Vor-
ing decarbonisation goals. wata CCUS projects, BP said in a statement.
CCUS, which is also known simply as carbon The Vorwata CCUS development is expected
capture and storage (CCS), is increasingly being to result in roughly 25mn tonnes of carbon
touted as an option for capturing and offsetting dioxide (CO2) being injected back into the Vor-
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oil and wata reservoir to reduce venting of produced
gas operations, including liquefaction plants. Its CO2 and to boost output through enhanced
use has been limited thus far – as has its success. gas recovery (EGR). BP said the CO2 injection
Chevron’s high-profile CCS project at its giant would remove up to 90% of the reservoir-asso-
Gorgon LNG facility in Australia came under ciated CO2, which is currently vented and rep-
fire recently for failing to meet its carbon cap- resents nearly half of Tangguh LNG’s emissions.
ture targets to date. Nonetheless, the number of The super-major believes that this will make
LNG projects proposed being put forward with Tangguh one of the lowest GHG-intensity LNG
a CCS component is growing, and final invest- plants in the world.
ment decisions (FIDs) are being awaited on this The Ubadari field development, meanwhile,
new crop of liquefaction plants that have been is being fast-tracked following a successful
designed with emissions reductions in mind. appraisal programme. The super-major said
normally unmanned installations in the field

P4 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 36 08•September•2021