Trinidad’s LNG production continues to slide

LNG production at Trinidad and Tobago’s Point Fortin liquefaction and export facility dropped 36 percent in November as compared to the same month a year ago due to ongoing gas supply shortfalls in the country.

Atlantic LNG’s 14.8 mtpa facility produced 1.83 million cubic meters in November, as compared to 2.28 million cubic meters the year before, the data by Trinidad’s Ministry of Energy shows.

LNG sales and deliveries from the export facility came to 38.79 million MMBtu, down 21 percent on year, the data said.

Trinidad’s LNG production has been declining for almost two years due to gas shortages in the country caused by a lack in upstream investment and upgrades to gas infrastructure.

The country’s gas production dropped almost 16 percent on year averaging 3.17 Bcf/d in November.

Atlantic LNG said in November last year it expects 2017 to be the worst year yet in terms of production due to the gas supply shortages in the country.

CEO Nigel Darlow said then the company had suffered on average over 30% gas supply shortage, equating to something like 75 LNG cargoes lost each year.

He added that overall gas shortage in 2017 was expected to be close to 35%.

Atlantic LNG produces the chilled fuel from natural gas delivered from offshore fields north and east of Trinidad owned and operated by affiliates of Atlantic’s members and others.

The company is owned by BP, Shell, China’s sovereign wealth fund CIC unit Summer Soca and Trinidad’s state-owned company NGC.

 

LNG World News Staff