Supply Hitches Worry Ghana Gas

Dr Kwesi Botchwey
The Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) has expressed concern over the absence of enough functioning generating units at the VRA enclave in Aboadze and also compressor trippings on the offshore facility, FPSO Kwame Nkrumah.

The company, in a statement issued in Accra and signed by Dr Kwesi Botchwey, chairman of the Ghana Gas Board, said it was engaging VRA and Tullow Oil respectively in meetings to address the challenges.

'Indeed, since the commencement of commissioning on November 10, 2014, supply of raw gas from Tullow Oil has been sporadic. Most of the upstream flow curtailment incidents have resulted from unplanned outages or trips of the FPSO gas export compressor. The outage periods have ranged from 30 minutes to as long as 7 hours. These have gravely affected our commissioning schedule.

'We have, thus far, also produced from the Atuabo Plant, 3,000 tons of LPG, out of which 2,100 tons have been delivered to the market for use. The plant has also produced over 500 tons of condensate out of which about 300 tons has been transported to the market. These levels would increase significantly as we near completion of the commissioning process and as we increase raw gas intake at the Atuabo Plant.'

GNGC is currently supplying the Volta River Authority (VRA) with gas between 50 and 53 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd), which translates into between 150 and 200 megawatts at Aboadze.

'Aboadze is therefore currently relying solely on gas from Atuabo to power the various plants in the enclave, and we are looking to ramp up flow from the current average of 50 mmscfd to the design flow of 150 mmscfd by end of December 2014.'

Ghana Gas explained that its current permits from the Energy Commission and Petroleum Commissions allows it to flow up to 150 mmscfd.

'To reach that flow level, the VRA is expected to confirm its readiness to take the higher flows.'

The board expressed satisfaction with the overall commissioning processes and said it was looking forward to a successful completion and commencement of full operations.

B y Samuel Boadi