The scheduled commissioning of the gas infrastructure project by the Ghana National Gas Company has been disrupted as a result of the sporadic flow of gas upstream.

The GNGC cited two key concerns- absence of enough functioning generating units at the VRA enclave in Aboadze and compressor tripping on the offshore facility, FPSO Kwame Nkrumah- caused by unplanned outages or trips of the FPSO gas export compressor as frustrating the commissioning programme.

Board Chairman, Prof. Kwesi Botchway in a statement issued Wednesday, December 17, 2014, however says discussions are ongoing with VRA and Tullow Oil respectively to address these 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.”

Regardless of these hitches, the Atuabo Plant, the statement noted, has so far produced 3,000 tons of LPG, out of which 2,100 tons have been delivered to the market for use. It has also produced over 500 tons of condensate out of which about 300tons has been transported to the market.

The plant is currently supplying the Volta River Authority (VRA) with gas at 50-53 million standard cubic feet per day (50-53MMSCFD), which is generating between 150-200 MW of power at Aboadze.

The statement assured that the current production levels “would increase significantly as we near completion of the commissioning process and as we increase raw gas intake at the Atuabo plant.”

Read the full statement below:

STATEMENT BY GHANAGAS ON THE STATUS OF COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES AT THE GAS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

In fulfillment of our commitment to continuously update the Ghanaian public and our key stakeholders on the operations of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant and associated facilities during the ongoing Commissioning Stage, the Board of the Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) can confirm that we are currently supplying the Volta River Authority (VRA) with gas at 50-53 million standard cubic feet per day (50-53MMSCFD), which is generating between 150-200 MW of power 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 50MMSCFD to the design flow of 150MMSCFD by end of this month (December 2014). Our current permits from the Energy Commission and Petroleum Commissions allow us to flow up to 150MMSCFD.

To reach that flow level, the VRA is expected to confirm its readiness to take the higher flows. The absence of enough functioning generating units at the VRA enclave in Aboadze and compressor trippings on the offshore facility, FPSO Kwame Nkrumah, are two key issues Ghana Gas has been concerned about. We are accordingly in discussions with VRA and Tullow Oil respectively to address these 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 300tons 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.

The Board is generally pleased with the overall commissioning processes and looks forward to a successful completion and commencement of full operations.

DR. KWESI BOTCHWEY BOARD CHAIRMAN

Accra: December 17, 2014