Atlantic LNG's Train IV starts production

Dec. 19, 2005
Atlantic LNG Co. of Trinidad and Tobago (ALNG) has begun production from Train IV at its Port Fortin natural gas liquefaction plant in Trinidad and Tobago.

Curtis Williams
OGJ Correspondent

PORT OF SPAIN, Dec. 19 -- Atlantic LNG Co. of Trinidad and Tobago (ALNG) has begun production from Train IV at its Port Fortin natural gas liquefaction plant in Trinidad and Tobago.

The $1.2 billion Train IV, currently one of the world's largest liquefaction trains, has capacities of 5.2 million tonnes/year of LNG and 12,000 b/d of NGL and has a 700 m jetty and 160,000 cu m storage tank.

All of its LNG will be sold in the US, where Trinidad and Tobago is the leading LNG exporter. ALNG now will export 15 million tonnes/year to the US, an increase of 60% over its 2004 exports.

Train IV is owned by BP Trinidad & Tobago LLC, 37.78%; BG Group PLC, 28.89%; Repsol YPF SA, 22.22%; and National Gas Co. of Trinidad & Tobago LLC, 11.11%.

BP is expected to receive the first shipment of LNG at the Lake Charles, La., terminal. The train originally was scheduled for commissioning in the first quarter of 2006 (OGJ, Mar. 24, 2005, Newsletter).

New train planned
Trinidad and Tobago has announced its intention to build another LNG train and has begun discussions with the Patrick Manning administration and potential LNG investors.

In addition, the LNG partners are expected to begin work immediately on debottlenecking Trains II and III, designed for total production of 6.7 million tonnes/year of LNG. Debottlenecking is expected to lead to the near equivalent of another small train of additional LNG production.

ALNG's first train was built in 1995 to liquefy natural gas for export by BP Trinidad LNG BV, British Gas Trinidad LNG Ltd., Repsol International Finance BV, Suez LNG Finance SA, and the Trinidad and Tobago National Gas Co.