The country’s natural-gas production peaked in 2018 at 150,804 million standard cubic feet (MMcf), bringing the total output since 1994 to 2,093,564 billion cubic feet (Bcf).
The latest data from the Department of Energy (DOE) showed that gas output was recorded at 150,804 MMcf last year, higher than the previous year’s 139,209 MMcf.
Of the total natural-gas output last year, 145,273 MMcf was consumed by the power and industrial sectors.
The DOE said 142,723 MMcf was utilized to boost the country’s power generation, meaning the gas went to power-generation use. The industrial sector took up 2,550 cubic feet. The transport industry recorded zero consumption.
In 2017, natural-gas output reached 139,209 MMcf, slightly down from the previous year’s 140,516 MMcf. Of the volume, 132,256 MMcf was utilized for power-generation use, while the industrial sector took up 2,255 cubic feet.
From 1994 up to 2018, the same data showed that output reached 2,093,564 Bcf, while consumption stood at 2,017,258 Bcf.
During the 24-year period, natural-gas consumption for power generation totaled 1,980,595 Bcf, 36,479 MMcf for industrial sector; and 184 cubic feet for the transport sector.
Gas production from the San Antonio gas field of state-owned Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) was included in the 1994 to 2008 data.
PNOC retired its San Antonio gas field in Isabela after 14 years of operation. PNOC had said the 3-megawatt (MW) power plant was shut down on July 31, 2008, since the well could no longer supply the required amount of gas to keep the power plant running.
The San Antonio gas power plant was the first natural gas power plant in the country. The plant was fueled by natural gas coming from the San Antonio gas field, which was drilled in 1991 and was confirmed to contain as much as 4 Bcf of gas.
Commissioned in 1994, the power plant has generated 187.48 gigawatt-hours of electricity, while the well has produced 3.54 Bcf of natural gas.
The data also included production from the Libertad gas field in northern Cebu, which started commercial operation on February 3, 2012, but now awaits the final notice of abandonment.
DOE officials said the country’s natural gas is being consumed domestically. It relies on the Malampaya deep-water gas field.
At present, the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power project is producing 3,400 MW. The gas field in offshore Palawan fuels three natural gas-fired power stations with a total generating capacity of 2,700 MW to provide 30 percent of Luzon’s power generation requirements.
The agency highlighted the need to expand the country’s gas facility before the depletion of the Malampaya gas reserves. The DOE said gas reserves may drop to 1,000 MW seven years from now.
The Malampaya project is a joint undertaking of the Philippine government and the private sector. The project is spearheaded by the DOE, and developed and operated by SPEX (Shell Philippines Exploration B.V) with a 45-percent stake on behalf of joint-venture partners Chevron Malampaya Llc.—also with a 45-percent stake—and PNOC Exploration Corp. The PNOC Exploration Corp. holds the remaining 10 percent.
In its assessment, SPEX said the Malampaya gas reserves can last between 2027 and 2029, depending on the demand.
According to SPEX Managing Director Don Paulino, the group can still provide 60 to 100 percent of the current demand for natural gas by 2022 following the installation of a depletion compressor.