WE ARE WAITING FOR VRA COMMAND-KWESI BOTCHWEY

Ghana Gas has announced that it is waiting for
the Volta River Authority (VRA) to complete
requisite work at the Aboadze Thermal Plant
Complex to enable it increase the available
generating capacity.
Dr. Kwesi Botchwey, Board Chairman of Ghana
Gas, who made this known in a statement
released recently, said “once the VRA completes
expansion works at its Aboadze Thermal Plant
Complex, it will be possible for us to increase our
off-take of raw gas from the Jubilee Field’s
FPSO Kwame Nkrumah to supply VRA lean gas at
the optimal 120 million standard cubic feet per
day (120MMSCFD).”
He said Ghana Gas has also taken note of the
recent commentary on challenges with Tullow’s
FPSO gas export compressor, stating that “we are
pleased to note that after a series of
intermittent interruptions from the FPSO
(spanning from a few minutes to as long as 15
hours), we have since Monday, January 5, 2015,
not experienced any compressor trips from the
FPSO.”
Dr. Botchwey said, “Our engineers have met
Tullow’s engineers to explore ways of averting
unwarranted occurrences and we are pleased
with the outcome of discussions and resultant
actions.
He said the commissioning activities have been
successful at the Gas Processing Plant (GPP).
“Since raw gas was introduced into the GPP,
operational activities on the offshore pipeline
component, the onshore pipeline component
including the regulating and metering stations
at Esiama and Aboadze have been smooth,” Dr.
Botchwey said.
At the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant, a few
challenges have been experienced with some
minor pieces of equipment or components. These
items generally referred to as Punch.
He said work is progressing sturdily to complete
the remedial work and corrective fine-tuning of
key punch list items prior to the formal
handover of the project by the Contractors,
Messrs Sinopec to Ghana Gas.
Dr. Botchwey said the GPP is operating
satisfactorily to supply VRA with lean gas for
power production, and to produce Liquefied
Petroleum Gas (LPG), as well as other
condensates for the downstream market.
He said “all things being equal, we now expect
that the commissioning process will be
significantly concluded by the end of January
2015.
“We look forward to the commencement of full
and normal operations, which will pave the way
for the commencement of phase two of the
project, including additional equipment to
increase by-product production, the Natural
Gas Liquids (NGL) export infrastructure, as well
as the onshore pipeline extension from Esiama
to the Prestea-Tarkwa mining enclave,” Dr.
Botchwey said.