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Energy Ministry not sure if Trinidad and

Tobago can reverse decline in LNG output

PERFORMANCE THE Energy Ministry of Trinidad and Tobago April figure and was the lowest monthly average
has indicated that it is not certain whether the recorded in the last 18 years. Also in May, local
country can reverse the decline in its LNG out- producers sent about 33.3% of total gas output,
put over the next few years. or 910mn cubic feet (25.77 mcm) per day, to
In response to questions from Argus Media, Atlantic LNG for processing.
ministry representatives said they did expect Trinidad and Tobago’s gas output peaked in
Trinidad and Tobago to gain access to new pro- 2017, averaging 4.3 bcf (121.8 mcm) per day. The
duction streams, as a number of new natural drop stems partly from the fact that BP, which has
gas fields are slated to come online by the end been Atlantic LNG’s main supplier of feedstock,
of 2023. They also said, though, that the country did not benefit as much as anticipated from an
would have to do more to push yields back up at infill drilling project that was designed to sup- Trinidad and
Atlantic LNG, the country’s only large-scale gas port production levels. But the trend also gained
liquefaction plant. momentum last year, as the coronavirus (COVID- Tobago’s gas
“Although there are several projects that will 19) pandemic undercut global energy demand.
deliver significant quantities of gas by the start Atlantic LNG has four production trains output peaked in
of 2023, we cannot predict when there will be a with a combined capacity of 14.8mn tonnes per
significant reversal of the slide in LNG output,” year (tpy). The facility has four different sets of 2017, averaging
they said. owners, or one set for each of its four produc- 4.3 bcf (121.8
Argus contacted the Energy Ministry follow- tion trains. Train 1 is owned 46% by Royal Dutch
ing the latter’s publication of new data showing Shell (UK/Netherlands), 34% by BP (UK), 10% mcm) per day.
that the country’s gas and LNG production had by Trinidad and Tobago’s National Gas Co.
sunk in the first five months of this year. The (NGC) and 10% by China Investment Corp.
dataset shows that companies working in the (CIC). Meanwhile, Trains 2 and 3 are owned
country’s offshore and onshore zones extracted 57.5% by Shell and 42.5% by BP, while Train 4
2.73bn cubic feet (77.31mn cubic metres) per is owned 51.11% by Shell, 37.78% by BP, and
day between January and May, down by about 11.11% by NGC.
20% on the year-ago figure. It also puts total Currently, Train 1 is idle. It was taken offline
LNG production in the January-May period at earlier this year for a turnaround maintenance
the equivalent of 7.17 mcm per day, marking a programme, and news agencies in Trinidad and
39% year-on-year drop. Tobago have said the shutdown may become
The ministry has also reported that Atlan- permanent, owing to questions about feedstock
tic LNG turned out the equivalent of 1.1 mcm supplies and a proposal for reorganisation of the
per day of LNG in May. This was 19% below the shareholder roster.™

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 35 03•September•2021