Ghana Gas to get backup compressor by the end of year

The Ghana Gas Company says it is ready to procure a backup compressor to avoid a shutdown of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant whenever there is mandatory maintenance work.

This, the company explains, is to ensure constant supply of gas in the country.

Currently, the processing plant which was set up in 2014, operates on one compressor; a situation that results in a shutdown of the plant whenever it is time for mandatory maintenance work. This has become a major challenge to authorities of Ghana Gas Company.

The plant was shut down on January 15 by the operators to allow for maintenance work to commence having been in operation for more than 8,000 hours since last year. The maintenance was to last 14 days.

However the engineers managed to use five days to complete the work, which is the second since lean gas production started.

The Chief Executive officer of Ghana Gas, Dr. George Sipa Yankey told journalists everything is set to procure an additional compressor to serve as a backup

"The drawings have been finalised and [we've] even started with the

procurement. By the end of this year, we would have procured the second compressor and that will enable us to work without stopping work every 4,000 hours operation of the plant.

It will take nine months to install the processor if it procured.

Meanwhile, Ghana Gas Company has intensified its internal and external security at the plant, its metering stations and the stretch of pipelines.

The move is to protect the nation's gas infrastructure in view of the recent terrorist attack in Cote d’Ivoire and the revelation by National Security that Ghana is at risk of an attack.

On March 15, 2016, president john Dramani Mahama held an emergency meeting with the national Security Council to review the security situation in the country following the upsurge in terrorist activities in West Africa.

A statement released after the meeting advised the general public to be vigilant, cautious and curious and to report any unusual circumstance to the law enforcement agencies.

In line with these concerns, the Ghana gas company called on security heads in the western region to assess threat levels and map out strategies to enhance surveillance of the gas infrastructure.

Dr Sipa Yankey urged its community relations team and the security agencies in its operational area to adopt proactive measures to educate members on what to look out for as the country faces imminent threat.