PTT plans to move faster on LPG pipeline project
WATCHARAPONG THONGRUNG
THE NATION
PTT plans to expedite construction of an LPG pipeline Sri Racha to lower production costs and improve gas transmission capacity.
The pipeline will carry liquefied petroleum gas from Khao Bo Ya terminal in Sri Racha district of chon Buri province to Saraburi. This project will proceed in parallel with PTT's expan sion of the LPG terminal and shipping poet, which is being undertaken by contractors, said Sarun Rungkasiri, senior executive president for oil business.
Currently, there is an LPG pipeline between an oil refinery and a gas separator plant, which leads to the Khao Bo Ya LPG terminal, before the gas is transported by ship, rail and truck. LPG transport via trucks is costly and susceptible to road accidents, resulting in higher gas prices in the provinces than in Bangkok. Hence a pipeline is safer and the most cost-efficient technique in the long run.
The pipeline is the LPG project second phase, originally planned for 2016. PTT is conducting a feasibility study on proceeding with the pipeline phase in parallel eith the project's first phase, the expansion of the terminal expansion and the port.
PTT would need to invest about Bt10 billion to construct the pipeline, which would take two years to complete, against the initial estimate of around 2018.