KUCHING: The Bintulu Additional Gas Facility (BAGSF-2) commences delivery of gas to a new Sarawak methanol plant in Bintulu, supporting the state’s further growth of the petrochemical industry.
Petronas senior vice president for Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM), Mohamed Firouz Asnan, said the initial supply of gas from BAGSF-2 via a newly built pipeline provides the fuel for the commissioning of the world scale Sarawak Petchem Sdn Bhd (SPSB)’s methanol plant.
With a design capacity of 390 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMscfd), he said, the BAGSF-2 facility caters for the requirement of the new methanol plant (160 MMscfd), plus 70 MMscfd to supply to Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB)’s existing power plant in Bintulu.
Meanwhile, the remaining capacity is allocated for other projects earmarked in Bintulu, under the Sarawak Gas Roadmap.
“This additional supply of gas will power the further growth of Sarawak’s downstream sector, especially in Bintulu.
“We are honoured to be a part of this pursuit to add value to hydrocarbon resources found off the coast of Sarawak.
“This project is a testament to our commitment to support the state’s aspiration for greater downstream development,” he said today.
He was speaking at a ceremony at the facility in Tanjung Kidurong to commemorate the facility’s readiness to deliver the gaswhich was officiated by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
In 2016, Firouz said Petronas signed an agreement with Sarawak government to supply a total of 450MMscfd of natural gas to Sarawak for power generation and state-owned petrochemical industries, which led to the construction of BAGSF-2 undertaken by PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd.
Five years later, Petronas signed another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to increase gas supply to 1,200 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day to Sarawak.
“Meanwhile, in meeting the growing demand by our downstream customers in Sarawak, Petronas together with our Petroleum Arrangement Contractors continue to invest in developing new offshore production facilities as well as pipelines and onshore facilities to connect the supply to the customers.
“Last month, just before Hari Merdeka, we brought on-stream new gas supply from the Timi field, operated by Sarawak Shell. What makes us even prouder was the fact that Timi facilities were fabricated by Brooke Dockyard and Engineering Works in Kuching.
“As we speak, we are progressing the Jerun and Kasawari Ph. 1 developments which are scheduled for first gas next year,” he added.
Other projects in the pipeline include the Rosmari-Majoram project sanctioned late last year while Petronas continues to progress the studies on the giant Lang Lebah project, targeted for sanctioning in first quarter next year.
Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr. Stephen Rundi Utom, Minister in the Premier’s Department Datuk John Sikie Tayai, Sarawak Petchem Sdn. Bhd. chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Datuk Husain and Petronas non-independent non-executive director Datuk Ibrahim Baki.
