Ghana National Gas Company is alleging that some people and organisations are trying to sabotage the operations of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant, which recently received first gas flow as part of its gradual commissioning process.
“The commencement of full operations at the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant will be a major and important milestone for our country, but we note that it remains the strong objective of some persons and institutions to work towards derailing that process,” GNGC said in a statement signed by Board Chairman Dr Kwesi Botchwey.
GNGC said in the statement that: “We urge everybody to avoid peddling untruths that could undermine the efforts that have gone into the completion of this all-important project, over the past two and half years.”
It added: “The gas plant will position the nation to garner significant savings over its crude oil and gas imports for power generation.
"As the days go by, we will provide Ghanaians with regular updates on the integrated commissioning phase, up until when we are finally ready to provide regular supplies of lean gas to the VRA Aboadze Complex.”
In the interim, GNGC said the tie-in between the Gas Processing Plant at Atuabo and the Jubilee Partners’ FPSO has been successfully completed.
First gas was received at the Plant on Monday November 10, 2014.
The successful completion of the tie-in will allow Ghana Gas to now complete the full integrated commissioning of the entire infrastructure from the offshore connecting valve at the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah through the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant to the Esiama Gas Distribution Station and then to the connecting valve at the VRA Aboadze Complex.
The integrated commissioning will be carried out in phases over a number of weeks, during which period, GNGC said, “all operating and monitoring systems will be fully tested and taken through their requisite paces.”
“As the commissioning progresses steadily, incremental quantities of raw gas would be necessarily injected into the processing facilities that would culminate in the test production of specification quality lean gas and other natural gas liquids in volumes that would be usable.”
“With the requisite clearances, Ghana Gas will then obtain a preliminary permit from the regulatory agencies to allow the transfer of such produced gas and liquids to VRA and other customers rather than flare it,” it added.
The company also said it remains committed to its mandate and is “not leaving anything to chance.”
“We are fully prepared for any challenges that may surface. No one is more mindful of the importance of safety and security of this infrastructure than the Board and Management of Ghana Gas.”
The statement said: “The facility has been constructed under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning (EPCC) contract by one of the largest companies in the industry that is heavily involved in the full spectrum of the gas processing value chain from design to construction to operation. Ghana Gas staff and engineers in the field are also well trained, competent and capable of managing the processes leading to commissioning and the management of operations at the plant.”
