Le Dinh Chau, operation manager of Nam Con Son Gas Pipeline Company, told local media that at the moment, the company has total gas capacity of 22 million cubic meters a day to satisfy the fuel needs for producing one third of the nation’s electric power output.

The company supplies gas – which is pumped from the offshore fields of Lan Tay, Rong Doi, Chim Sao and Hai Thach-Moc Tinh – for many thermo-power stations in the nation’s southern region such as Ba Ria, Phu My 1, Phu My 2, Phu My 3,  Phu My 4 and Nhon Trach.

With total investment capital of US$1.3 billion, the Nam Con Son gas pipeline project is now operated by three partners: PetroVietnam Gas Corporation with a 51% interest, ConocoPhillips with 16.33% and TNK Vietnam with 32.67%.

According to Nam Con Son Pipeline, the company expects to obtain total revenue of US$226 million this year, a 5% pickup from last year. In 2003-2012, the company paid some VND1.3 trillion in taxes.

Speaking to the Daily during a media trip to the company’s gas treatment terminal in An Ngai Village, Long Dien District in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province on Wednesday, Chau said the current gas demand of power plants had declined considerably in the past two months.

As observed by the Daily at the terminal on Wednesday, nine power plants in the southern region on Wednesday consumed nearly 12 million cubic meters of gas from Nam Con Son Pipeline while its designed output is 22 million cubic meters a day.                     

Chau explained that in the rainy season, State utility Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) often intensifies purchases of power from hydropower plants to enjoy lower prices.

He added the gas treatment terminal often operates at full capacity in the dry season from March to May when the output of hydropower plants declines.