LOPEZ-LED INAEC Aviation Corp. is mounting chartered flights to and from Palawan in support of the continuous operations of the Philippines’ sole natural gas production field.
Since March 18, two days after the government imposed a strict lockdown, the private air transport service provider has been transporting personnel of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEx), operator of the Malampaya gas-to-power project, to the gas platform in Puerto Princesa.
“With INAEC’s support, the Malampaya Crew was able to mobilize and demobilize safely to and from the platform, allowing the continuous supply of gas to power plants,” SPEx Managing Director Don J. Paulino said.
Meanwhile, SPEx implemented gas supply restrictions from Malampaya since June 2 to “normalize pressure in the pipeline,” the Department of Energy (DoE) noted in its grid report last week.
On June 4, the DoE said the grid operator raised a “yellow” alert in the Luzon grid when reserve power thinned after some power plants went on forced outages while Malampaya natural gas supply was also restricted.
The supply limit, which led to a total of 520 megawatts of curtailed capacity, was among factors cited for the Luzon grid’s reduced supply reserves. The grid’s condition returned to normal a day after the alert.
The Malampaya production field supplies up to 40% of Luzon’s electricity needs. — Adam J. Ang
