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The Nation (27-9-99)



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<font face="arial" size=5><b>PTT advocates use of Burmese natural
gas<br>
</font></b><font size=3>THE Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) has
urged usage of natural gas originating from Burma on the grounds that it
was less expensive than oil fuel and that it had been confirmed that it
would be delivered to customers as scheduled. <br>
Piti Yimprasert, president of PTT Gas, disclosed that early this year,
PTT's natural gas procurement and sale for 1999 had been planned at 1,920
million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) -- comprising gas from the Gulf of
Thailand, the Namphong Field and Burma. <br>
Gas from the Gulf of Thailand and the Namphong Field is delivered to the
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) as required. However,
Egat has failed to complete Ratchaburi Power Plant construction, causing
a revision in the plans in the middle of this year. <br>
It was an unexpected development when Egat appeared to be unable to
utilise gas delivered from Burma via the PTT's pipeline with a
transmission capacity of 1,000 MMCFD, which had already been completed
over a year before. At present, PTT is ready to supply 525 MMCFD of gas
from Burma, which costs less than oil by Bt8 per one million British
Thermal Units. <br>
PTT says that this year it can supply natural gas to every customer as
planned. For the full year 1999, total sales are expected to reach
approximately 1,740 MMCFD, representing a growth of 10 per cent over the
same period of the previous year. Especially, the demand from small power
producers (SPP) has climbed 115 per cent from 146 MMCFD in 1998 to 312
MMCFD this year. <br>
At the end of 1999, independent power producers (IPP) will start
receiving 100 MMCFD approximately. The gas price for both SPPs and IPPs
is significantly cheaper than that of oil. <br>
While the price of fuel has been rising continuously, Egat should
accelerate the construction of the Ratchaburi Power Plant to use natural
gas instead of oil for the ultimate benefit of the nation. In addition,
Egat's purchase of electricity from SPPs and IPPs, using natural gas as
fuel, needs to be hastened. <br>
Normally, an incremental rise in gas delivery, especially of a great
amount, calls for a plan mutually agreed over a year in advance, since
the construction, an increase in the pipeline efficiency as well as
funding, requires a length of time for preparation. Regarding the Egat's
inquiry in the media about a further delivery of 500 MMCFD of gas from
the Gulf of Thailand, PTT stated that it had never been officially
informed on the issue. <br>
The Nation<br>
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