The Department of Energy (DOE) has identified 13 “critical” natural gas projects in Luzon, which should all be in place by 2030 to support an aggressive expansion of natural gas use in the power and transport sectors.
In the 2012-2030 Philippine Energy Plan, the DOE said these Luzon-based projects were considered “strategic infrastructure for receiving, storage, transmission and distribution” of natural gas.
Based on the presentation, the DOE identified nine priority natural gas pipeline projects, namely, the 105-kilometer Batangas-Manila (BatMan 1) pipeline, which should be completed by 2017; 15-km Sucat-Fort Bonifacio (2017); 35-km Sucat-Malaya (2017); 38-km Sucat-Quirino (2020); 140-km Bataan-Manila (BatMan 2); 40-km Metro Manila/Edsa-Taft or the ET-Loop (2020); 40-km Subic pipeline (2021); 25-km Clark pipeline (2022); and 40-km Bataan-Cavite (BatCave) Pipeline (2022).
The DOE also pointed out the need to have refilling stations for compressed natural gas (CNG) to be located in strategic places in Metro Manila by 2015. The target is to have about 1,000 CNG buses plying Metro Manila within the next several years.
Three terminal projects were also in the plan, namely, the LNG Hub Terminal in Pagbilao, Quezon, which is being undertaken by Hong Kong Energy World Corp. (2014); an LNG terminal in Batangas (2021-2030); and another one in Bataan, which should be operational by 2025.
The DOE is planning to bid out within the second half of 2013 the first phase of the $2.1-billion BatMan 1 natural gas pipeline project. The project will be implemented in three phases.
Phase I, to be undertaken by the government, will involve the construction of a 100-kilometer pipeline, while the second and third phases will involve the construction of the receiving terminal and power plant, respectively.
PNOC Pipeline Corp., a new subsidiary of state-run Philippine National Oil Co., is expected to bid out the engineering, procurement and construction contract, and the technical and maintenance agreement in 2013.