Ratch to expand flare gas power generation
Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding is ready to expand its power generation using a by-product of natural gas to other onshore production sites of PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP), as part of the promotion of national energy-efficiency policy.
RATCH chief executive officer Noppol Milinthanggoon yesterday said interesting sites included areas in Sukhothai province where the by-product, known as flare gas, is available but currently goes to waste.
All such projects would be invested in by Ratchaburi Energy, he said.
At present, the subsidiary is involved in two such projects in Sukhothai, at Pradu Tao field (2007) and Sao Thien-A. The latter project was unveiled yesterday. The sites have a combined capacity of 6.3 megawatts, enough to power 7,000 households.
Noppol said the projects would reduce the volume of wasted gas by 1.4 million cubic feet a day and save 10.5 million litres a year of bunker-oil imports.
Energy Minister Arak Chonlatanon presided over yesterday’s project-launch ceremony. The new initiative supports the ministry’s mission to promote the use of natural-gas by-products from oil refineries for electricity generation to help stabilise and strengthen local and community power systems.
"The successful establishment of the Sao Thien-A project is attributable to the great support and collaboration we received from the Mineral Fuels Department and PTTEP," Noppol said. "The project will help Thailand reduce bunker-oil imports for electricity production, with savings of approximately Bt175 million.
"More important, the initiative will enhance the nation’s energy stability and add value to oil refinery by-products by employing them to produce electricity. This will be of great benefit to the country as it delivers a very high level of economic, social and environmental value."
The Bt190-million Sao Thien-A project produces electricity from the flare gas of the oil refinery in the Sao Thien-A field.
The plant is operated by Ratchaburi Energy with an annual production capacity of 24 million units. The daily consumption of natural-gas by-products from the refinery is about 800,000 cubic feet.
The electricity generated will be supplied to the power grid operated by the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and the Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand.
The initiative is a natural extension of the project at the Pradu Tao field, where the plant annually produces and supplies an average of 18 million units of electricity from natural-gas flare to the PEA grid.
The combined production capacity of the two projects is 42 million units per annum.
