Malampaya logs all-time high gas production

By Myrna M. Velasco – October 2, 2020, 1:26 PM
from Manila Bulletin

The country’s Malampaya field logged its all-time high gas production at 155.495 billion standard cubic feet (scf) last year, according to data from the Department of Energy.

That was the heftiest output that the gas facility had posted so far since it started commercial operations in 2001 – and it also surpassed the large-scale production volume in 2018 that was at 150.804 billion scf.

The other years when Malampaya registered gigantic production volumes had been in years 2016 and 2011 at 140.516 billion scf and 140.368 billion scf, respectively; and that tapered off to 139.209 billion scf in 2017.

In the roughly two-decade stretch of the field’s production cycle, aggregate gas yield already hovered at more than 2.32 trillion scf; and were mainly funneled as fuel to the country’s gas-fired power projects, according to the energy department.

DOE data further showed that more than 2.195 trillion scf of gas had been utilized by the power sector; while 40.348 billion scf had been sold to other end-users, including industries and the transport sector.

For year 2020, the DOE report stipulated that Malampaya’s gas production reached 73.388 billion scf as of August; and more than 93-percent of that or 68.629 billion scf had been used for electricity generation.

Malampaya is the only commercially-producing gas field of the country this time; since the other smaller gas field of state-run Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) in San Antonio, Isabela already ceased operations in 2008.

The Malampaya facility’s gas production in other years had been: 138.030 billion scf in 2009; 130.008 billion scf in 2010; 134.563 billion scf in 2012; 123.944 billion scf in 2013; 130.351 billion scf in 2014; and 122.541 billion scf in 2014.

In prior years, the combined output of the Malampaya and San Antonio gas fields were:  137.073 billion scf in 2008; 130.211 billion scf in 2007; 108.606 billion scf in 2006; 115.966 billion scf in 2005; 87.557 billion scf in 2004; 94.807 billion scf in 2003; 62.205 billion scf in 2002; and 4.951 billion scf in 2001.

The first power facilities fed with Malampaya gas been the 1,000-megawatt Santa Rita and San Lorenzo plants of First Gen Corporation of the Lopez group; and then the 1,200MW Ilijan plant which is currently under an independent power producer administrator (IPPA) arrangement with South Premiere Power Corporation of the San Miguel group.

According to the DOE, the initial usage of the Malampaya gas had been as commissioning fuel of the three gas plants in 2001; and subsequently for their actual commercial operations in 2002.

The 414MW San Gabriel and 97MW Avion plants of the Lopez group came later in 2016; and that was also the time when the second platform installation at the Malampaya field had been completed, thereby, boosting its gas production.

The field can still continually provide gas fuel to the country’s power plants in the next four years, which is the end of its service contract with the government.

Extending its production life cycle shall depend on the action of the State on its propounded license extension and the eventual outcome from the targeted drilling of additional wells.