Trinidad Gas Production Higher in June - UPDATE
Trinidad & Tobago’s production of natural gas reached 3.83bn ft3/day in June 2018, up from 3.51bn f3/day in May, according to the most recent monthly report published August 10 by the country’s ministry of energy and energy industries.
A year ago, according to full-year 2017 data published by the ministry in February, June gas production averaged 3.18bn ft3/day.
Total natural gas demand in the twin-island nation averaged 3.54bn ft3/day in June, up from 3.04mn ft3/day in June 2017, with LNG production accounting for 57% of the 2018 total. Ammonia and methanol production accounted for 16% and 14% respectively, while the remaining 13% was spread across sectors ranging from refining and iron and steel manufacturing to small consumers.
In June, the 15mn metric tons/year Atlantic LNG facility produced 2.52bn m3 of LNG, up from 2.32bn m3 in May, and reported sales and deliveries of 2.68bn m3, up from 2.14bn m3 the previous month. LNG production in June 2017 was 1.9bn m3, while sales and deliveries totaled 2.24bn m3.
Trinidad & Tobago’s natural gas-based economy continues to confront long-standing issues to boost gas production to meet contracted demand. In the short-term, imports from Venezuela have filled the supply-demand gap, but offshore projects are being counted on to boost overall domestic production.
Earlier this month, BP Trinidad and Tobago (BPTT) announced its Angelin platform had arrived in Trinidad after completing its voyage from Altamira, Mexico where it was fabricated.
The Angelin facility will be 60 km off the southeast coast of Trinidad in water-depths of about 65 metres. Development will include four wells, and a production capacity of 600mn ft3/day.
Drilling is due to start in 3Q 2018 and first gas, which will flow to the Serrette platform via a 21-km pipeline, is expected in 1Q 2019.
“Angelin is part of BPTT’s long-term plan to develop its resources in the Columbus Basin,” BPTT regional president Claire Fitzpatrick said. “The safe arrival of the jacket and topsides is an important milestone and we are now focusing on the next stages of the project as we progress towards first gas in 2019.”
Angelin is the second major gas platform installed by BP in recent times and follows the installation of the Juniper platform in 2017. Other platforms are being developed by EOG Resources, Australia’s BHP and Anglo-Dutch major Shell.