The prospect of limited gas supplies in the Gulf of Thailand may scuttle plans for a $100 million subsea pipeline from Erawan field to Thailand's southern peninsula.
State owned Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) is having second thoughts about economic feasibility of a second 28-32 in., 99 mile trunk line from Erawan to Khanom district in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, (OGJ, May 1, 1989, p. 28).
The project's fate depends on whether Gulf of Thailand gas flow ever exceeds the 850 MMcfd throughput capacity of the gulf's existing 264 mile trunk line from Erawan to the eastern seaboard. At the present, the only gas user of note along the southern peninsula is a 150,000 kw power plant at Khanom whose maximum gas consumption currently is 50 MMcfd.
PTT says it will proceed with the project only if gulf production exceeds the existing trunk line's capacity and if demand in the south ever tops 100 MMcfd.
PTT will trim gas takes from currently producing gulf fields to the contractual minimum of 500 MMcfd once flow from the gulf's undeveloped B structure peaks at 350 MMcfd later this decade.
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