BP, Atlantic LNG sanction Trinidad project to boost gas supply to Point Fortin terminal

BP Trinidad and Tobago (BPTT), a unit of the UK-based energy giant and Atlantic LNG, the operator of Trinidad’s sole LNG export facility, said they are moving ahead with the Trinidad onshore compression  project.

After finalization of key project agreements between the Atlantic shareholders, the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago and other directly impacted upstream stakeholders, the TROC project received final approval on July 26, BP said in its statement.

The project is 100% funded and owned by BPTT and will be operated by Atlantic LNG.

It is designed to increase production from low-pressure wells in BPTT’s existing acreage in the Columbus Basin using an additional inlet compressor at the Point Fortin LNG plant. Additional upgrades will be made to BPTT’s upstream facilities, as well as those of third parties to accommodate operations of the compressor, the energy giant said.

The majority of the construction work will be handled by Atlantic with BP and other shareholder representation. The mechanical completion and commissioning of the TROC compressor at Atlantic will take place over the next few months and start-up is planned for early 2017.

When it comes on stream, the project has the potential to deliver approximately 200 million standard cubic feet of gas per day in 2017, the statement reads.

“The investment by BPTT has been significant and will result in increased gas accessibility from our offshore fields to help alleviate the current gas supply shortfalls,” said BP Trinidad and Tobago Regional President Norman Christie.

To remind, Trinidad and Tobago’s sole LNG producing company, Atlantic LNG said earlier this year that production at its 14.8 mtpa Point Fortin facility is “suffering badly” from gas supply shortages in the country.

Atlantic’s CEO Nigel Darlow said that plant is at record low levels of utilisation with the company “failing to deliver on its LNG commitments.”