Potential of new natural gas source detected in Thai Northeast

BANGKOK, September12 (TNA) - The Ministry of Energy has reported a potential of discovering a new natural gas source in Udon Thani Province in the Thai Northeast, which should be used for the production of both electricity and natural gas for vehicles (NGVs). Kurujit Nakorntap, Director-General of the ministry's Department of Mineral Fuels, told journalists on Friday that petroleum explorers working near the Sin Phu Hom gas field in Udon Thani has informed his department of the potential. Kurujit said that the petroleum explorers have also reported the potential to the state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) so that EGAT can revise its plan in its electricity production. Kurujit acknowledged PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP), a subsidiary of PTT Public Comapny Limited (PTT), Thailand's largest petroleum firm, has already announced that gas reserves at the existing Sin Phu Hom field can be used to produce natural gas over, at least, the next 15 years and EGAT has, thus, asked for an extension in buying natural gas from PTT for another three years, ending in 2024. To date, two commercialised natural gas fields have been found and utilised in the Thai Northeast, including the Nam Phong source in Khon Kaen Province, which is now able to produce 10–15 million cubic feet per day, from 100 million cubic feet per day previously, and the Sin Phu Hom source, which produces 120-130 million cubic feet per day. The senior official revealed that most natural gas from the two fields have been used for daily power production at the Nam Phong Power Plant, while another 18-20 million cubic feet per day has been used for NGV production serving gas stations in the Thai Northeat. According to the senior official, EGAT plans to construct a new power plant in substitution for the Nam Phong Power Plant, which should be used until 2024, as demand for electricity in the Thai Northeast has risen more than 4.5 per cent annually. (TNA)