PTTEP's gas-processing, living-quarters platform sets sail for Zawtika field in the Gulf of Mottama
PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) has launched the Zawtika Processing and Living Quarters Platform (ZPQ), which it says marks another achievement to secure energy supply for Myanmar and Thailand.
PTTEP held a sail-away ceremony for ZPQ on Saturday in Singapore. It will sail from SMOE Pte Ltd’s construction yard in Singapore to its destination at the Zawtika field in the Gulf of Mottama, Myanmar. Upon completion, it is expected to produce natural gas for supply to Myanmar and Thailand.
Myanmar Energy Minister Zay Yar Aung jointly presided over the ceremony with Norkun Sitthiphong, chairman of the board of PTTEP. Guests of honour were welcomed by Tevin Vongvanich, president and chief executive officer of PTTEP, and other executives from all parties.
Zay Yar Aung said the production from this project would fulfil part of his country’s requirement for natural gas. Therefore this project is very important for the energy sector and also for the development of Myanmar.
The first gas from the Zawtika project is expected by the end of this year with a targeted production rate of 345 million standard cubic feet per day.
Norkun said the Zawtika project was very important not just in terms of its scale, as one of the largest developments in Southeast Asia, but also because of the boost it will provide to Myanmar’s gas production at a time of economic growth and the increasing energy demand in the two countries.
Tevin said: “ZPQ … employs modern technology that is second to none, to ensure that our facilities are of the highest possible standard currently used in the E&P industry, without compromising safety, health and environmental concerns. In addition, the development period of ZPQ ranks among the fastest, compared with other global projects of similar size.”
ZPQ is an integrated platform that combines both gas-processing facilities and living quarters. Its topside weighs 16,500 tonnes and was designed and constructed over a period of 28 months. In the process, ZPQ has achieved 9.5 million man-hours without any lost-time incidents.
The Zawtika project is about 300 kilometres south of Yangon and 290km west of Dawei, Myanmar. PTTEP International, a subsidiary of PTTEP, is the operator with an 80-per-cent interest, while its joint-venture partner is Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) with 20 per cent.
Development Phase 1A consists of ZPQ, three wellhead platforms, intra-field sea lines, and offshore and onshore export pipelines to connect to the PTT gas pipeline at Ban-I-Tong, Kanchanaburi province, on the Thailand-Myanmar border.
