Cargo brought in to chill LNG plant

By GYNNIE KERO
A LIQUEFIED natural gas tanker docked at the PNG LNG plant site outside Port Moresby with an LNG cargo to chill the plant and provide fuel until production resumes.
The 172,000 cubic metre capacity LNG tanker Kumul, custom-built for the PNG LNG project, is understood to have arrived from Indonesia.
ExxonMobil PNG had bought the LNG cargo last month to keep its plant cool and at the right temperature since production was halted following the earthquake in the Highlands.
A company spokesperson yesterday said: “EMPNG has imported an LNG cargo to the PNG LNG facilities near Port Moresby.
“The imported LNG will help to maintain the temperature of our LNG tanks and marine terminal loading facilities to avoid a lengthy re-cooling period when we restart.
“In addition, a small amount of gas is used as a fuel source for the plant’s gas turbine generators, which help keep the plant in safe operating condition.
“These generators are also continuing to supply some of Port Moresby’s power demand.
“Restoring production as quickly as possible is an important step for the country and helping Highlands’s recovery efforts from this tragic event.”
Preliminary assessments by the firm on the damage to PNG LNG facilities had indicated that it could take about eight weeks to repair and restore production.
ExxonMobil earlier told The National that the purchase of the cargo did not mean a change in its earlier projection of eight weeks for return to production.
Meanwhile, project partner, Oil Search Ltd has resumed operation and oil production at a number of its Kutubu fields, Southern Highlands, yesterday.