Thailand’s new Nong Fab LNG regasification terminal in Rayong province, the nation’s second import facility, has received first volumes of LNG for commissioning and is on track for full commercial start-up in 2022.
PTT Group, the national energy company of Thailand, is behind the Nong Fab project.
PTT is expanding regasification capacity and LNG imports after completing several expansions at the single existing Thai import terminal at Map Ta Phut, which can now handle 11.5 million tonnes per annum.
The Nong Fab terminal is adjacent to the Map Ta Phut industrial area in Rayong and will have total regasification capacity of 7.5 MTPA.
Thailand has opted for the more permanent onshore LNG terminals rather that a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), seen mainly as a fast-track energy solution.
The new terminal is currently being completed by Italian energy engineering firm, Saipem, and Taiwan-based CTCI Corp.
Saipem and CTCI were awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the facility four years ago and with an estimated cost of around $900 million.
Experienced
It was Milan-based Saipem who announced the first volumes of LNG being introduced into the Nong Fab facility. The company is one of the world's most experienced LNG engineering firms with expertise in subsea, liquefaction and regasification projects.
“Saipem is pleased to inform that on 18 June the Nong Fab LNG regasification terminal, located in the Mueang Rayong district in Thailand and executed by Saipem in a joint venture with its partner CTCI, began offloading the first LNG from a carrier moored at the terminal jetty,” said the Saipem statement.
Saipem added that the scope of the work for the project, which began in July 2018, included two 250,000 cubic metres capacity LNG storage tanks, the regasification and pipeline eqipment and a six-kilometre trestle unloading facility as well as an administrative building.
“It is a particularly significant project which is marked by its tank capacity (the largest ever executed in Thailand) and by the world’s largest trestle in the LNG sector,” explained Saipem.
“The offloading of the first LNG was achieved thanks to the expertise, quality and efforts of Saipem’s team in Thailand as well as the strong support of the client, PTT LNG,” the company added.
Saipem stated that full commissioning and start-up were expected before year-end and would provide the country with a stable and reliable energy supply in response to increasing power demand in Thailand.
“The project, confirms Saipem’s role in the LNG and regasification sectors, thanks to its long-standing expertise in complex projects, which are always executed applying the highest safety standards,” Saipem declared.
