PetroChina starts to ship stream of LNG cargoes to Vietnam

PETROVIETNAM Gas has received another LNG cargo delivered by 中国石油 to the Thi Vai regasification terminal. The shipment came from Brunai’s liquefaction terminal in Lumut and has been used to fuel gas-fired power?stations in Vietnam as utilities sought meet peak electricity?demand this summer.

The latest shipment is already the fourth for the Thi Vai LNG terminal this year, which currently has a capacity of 1 mtpa but is planned to be expanded to 3 mtpa in the next stage.

Prior to the latest cargo, PetroVietnam got a shipment last month from TotalEnergies loaded at Pertamina’s Botang LNG terminal. The Vietnamese state gas importer also received some 60,000 tons of LNG from PetroChina on April 29 and about 70,000 tons of LNG from QatarEnergy on April 11.

Tendering for cargoes

Eager to source more natural gas, PetroVietnam had tendered for LNG cargoes to be delivered to the Thi Vai import terminal in May and early June. Most of the volume had been designated for power generation as a brutal heatwave pushed up electricity demand for cooling.

Sweltering heat of up to 44 degrees Celsius in May caused an intense drought in Vietnam that threatens the livelihood of farmers and fishermen, and jeopardises the health of people having to work outside. Demand for air-conditioning is at record highs, fuelling gas demand for power generation, which in turn necessitates additional LNG imports.

To help boost electricity supply, PetroVietnam Gas signed a contract with EVN to supplement input for power generation, with LNG to be distributed to the?733 MW Phu My 3 combined-cycle gas power plant, with a view to adding some 500 million kWh to the grid.?