By Gilbert Boyefio
The Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) has resume gas supply to the Aboadze Thermal Plant for power generation after shutting down the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant to enable the tie in of the African Middle-East Investment (AMERI) plant.
This was as a result of a request by the Volta River Authority (VRA) to Ghana Gas on 27 November 2015 to resume gas supply to its Aboadze Thermal enclave for power generation.
According to a press release issued by Ghana Gas, “The request is a result of the successful tie-in to the VRA’s main gas pipeline, which is expected to feed the AMERI plant once it is ready to generate electricity.
Ghana Gas has, therefore, begun the supply of an average 109 million standard cubic feet of gas (mmscf) a day to Aboadze.”
The gas supply is expected to help VRA generate about 600 Megawatts of power to the national grid and improve the current energy situation.
The Atuabo Gas Processing Plant has also resumed continuous production of LPG and Condensate.
Ghana Gas was supplying up to 115 mmscf of lean gas to VRA from the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant before the curtailment in supply of gas to Aboadze on 23rd November 2015 at the request of the VRA.
The Atuabo Gas Processing Plant has the design capacity to process 150 mmscf of gas a day of raw gas from the Jubilee Field through the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah, out of which 135 mmscf of lean gas is expected to be delivered to the VRA. The FPSO Kwame Nkrumah current maximum operating capacity is 120 mmscf of raw gas a day.
Power Ministry versus Ghana Gas
The shutdown of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant has earlier led to a blame game between the Power Ministry and the Ghana Gas.
The Power Ministry had attributed the current increase in the quantum of load shedding to the shutdown of the Atuabo gas plant to enable the AMERI power plant to be connected to the gas supply system of Ghana Gas.
This assertion however did not go down with the Ghana Gas, who in a quick rebuttal described the Power Ministry statement as in correct, misleading and disingenuous.
“The shutdown of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant was, therefore, at the instance of the VRA, which claimed that it had made adequate arrangements for light crude oil to power its Aboadze plant and avoid a shortfall in energy generation.
Ghana Gas, therefore, finds the attempt by the Ministry of Power to mislead the public on this matter disingenuous and unhelpful.
Ghana Gas did not have any challenge, whatsoever, with the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant,” a statement from the Ghana Gas had indicated.
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