Energy Ministry confirms no blackout during closure of Yetagun gas field

BANGKOK, 9 February 2010 (NNT) – The Energy Ministry is confident there will be no blackout during the closure of the gas field in Yetagun, Myanmar, at the end of March.

Mr Sarawut Kaewtathip, an analyst from the Energy Ministry, said that Myanmar has planned to close the gas field in Yetagun for 7-10 days to prepare for the line extension to Rangoon where a new 250-MW power plant will be built.

During the closure, the system will be short of gas by 1 billion cubic feet per day. However, the ministry believed that the cutback will not result in a blackout in Thailand as the fuel monitoring panel has prepared to compensate the suspension with 30-40 million liters of fuel oil in case of emergency. The ministry’s officials will meet again on 10 February to draw up measures to deal with the supply cut.

It is likely that the committee will resolve to negotiate with PTT Plc to postpone the planned shutdown of its 2nd gas separation plant for maintenance which coincides with the field’s closure. The measure would allow a direct supply of gas from the Gulf of Thailand to power plants, thus preventing a fuel shortage for power generation.