OREANDA-NEWS. Mr. Charcrie Buranakanonda, PTT Plc Senior Executive Vice President, Gas Business Unit, said PTT Group's plan is to double its LNG receiving terminal to sustain the spiraling demand for energy, particularly in the power sector, which features a 5-6% rise each year to keep up with burgeoning economic growth and population. It is expected that this year, Thailand's gas demand will average 4,600 million cubic feet a day (MMcf/d), of which its own offshore and onshore fields can muster a total of only 3,600 MMcf/d (78%); the remaining 22% must be imported from Myanmar and imported as LNG.

“Increasingly, in view of the fast-dwindling gas reserves and the increasingly tough indigenous gas supply sourcing and limitations facing gas import supplies from neighboring countries, LNG will assume a key role in Thailand's energy mix. Ironically, domestic energy demand is growing by the day in the power, industrial, and transport sectors. With that in mind, PTT Group is speeding up various tasks in readying its infrastructure to sustain the rising supply and import of LNG. Thanks to its pioneering LNG-receiving terminal in Southeast Asia and geographical connectivity, Thailand holds a definitive advantage,” said Mr. Buranakanonda.

Meanwhile, Mr. Panu Sutthirat, Managing Director, PTT LNG Co., Ltd., said “We are identifying construction contractors for the Phase 2 terminal to raise our capacity for storing and regasifying LNG from 5 to 10 million tons a year, which is due for completion and commercial start-up in mid-2017 to accommodate the plan to secure power-generating fuels and enhance Thailand's long-term security of supply.” LNG is natural gas cooled to minus 160 degrees Celsius, thus liquefied and conveniently transported to remote users. Its storage and transport therefore call for cryogenic technologies to ease long journeys. LNG undergoes regasification when consumption needs arise. Because of these procedures and processes, LNG costs more than indigenous natural gas found in the Gulf of Thailand. As for its properties, LNG virtually resembles natural gas, that is, it contains no toxic materials and is odorless, non-corrosive, and lighter than air. Any leaked LNG quickly rises, without hovering above the ground, and therefore does not catch fire.