September 19, 2018 | 12:07 am
SIX FOREIGN companies have so far
“expressed interest” in partnering with Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) in
the state-led firm’s plan to put up a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility
under a yet to be issued terms via a solicited scheme, its top official said.
PNOC President and Chief Executive
Office Reuben S. Lista said of the six companies, the latest he had
communications with was Dubai-based Lloyds Energy Group LLC on Wednesday last
week.
“Dumaan lang sila to make a call dahil pumunta sila sa DoE (They just
passed by to make a call because they visited the Department of Energy). Nag-briefing
sila (They had a briefing),” he said in a phone interview on Tuesday. The DoE
and PNOC are based in the same compound in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
“They are submitting a proposal to
DoE. I just do not know if they already submitted a proposal,” he added.
He identified the other companies as
China Petroleum and Chemical Corp., Bechtel Corp., Tokyo Boeki Machinery Ltd.,
Gazprom, Mitsui O-S-K Lines.
Several companies previously
submitted unsolicited proposals, which PNOC turned down for not meeting either
legal, financial or technical criteria. An unsolicited proposal allows its
original proponent a chance to match a better counter-offer.
He said the expressions of interest
came after PNOC announced that the project would be under a solicited scheme,
the terms of which are still being finalized by Asian Development Bank, the
consultant tapped to advise on the project. He expects the terms to be
finalized by Sept. 28.
The PNOC project is separate from
the proposals being received by the DoE, although the corporation’s selected
partner, which could be a local or foreign firm or a consortium of both, also
has to submit its proposal for the Energy department’s approval.
Mr. Lista previously placed the LNG
facility’s estimated cost at around $600 million under a scaled down project
that now excludes some components it had floated before such as a 200-megawatt
(MW) power plant.
The proponents are in a race to
submit a final proposal as only one LNG hub can be accommodated in Batangas,
which hosts the country’s existing power plants running on natural gas with a
total capacity of 3,211 MW.
Separately, Lloyds Energy said on
Tuesday that it had signified its intention to partner with PNOC in the LNG
facility under a solicited scheme.
Lloyds Energy said it has a
proposal, together with another foreign entity China Kaicheng Energy Ltd., to
develop and construct an integrated LNG hub with storage, liquefaction,
regasification and distribution facility, as well as a power plant with a
capacity of 200 to 800 MW.
“We believe in the vision of the
PNOC under the leadership of President Lista to invest not only in the
development and construction of LNG facilities but also in the training of
Filipino workers to improve their skills and abilities and contribute in the
growth of the LNG industry in the Philippines,” Lloyds Energy Executive
Director Brett Wight said in the statement on Tuesday.
Lloyds Energy confirmed that its
officials had met with Mr. Lista to express the foreign company’s intention to
pursue “several major projects” with the DoE’s commercial investment arm.
It said the projects are meant “to
enhance and strengthen their relations through the establishment of joint
venture agreements and maximize the potential of their expertise and
capabilities to develop the LNG industry in the Philippines.”
“Foremost is the plan of Lloyds
Energy to join the solicited process recently announced by PNOC in choosing a
partner for its planned LNG project,” it said.
“It was earlier announced by the
PNOC that under the solicited scheme, it would open the tender to foreign and
local firms, starting with the pre-qualification tender schedule within the
month, with the selection streamlined to ensure that the project will reach
commercial operation before the end of the Service Contract for the Malampaya
gas consortium in 2024,” it added.
Aside from the LNG project, Lloyds
Energy said it would pursue other projects with the PNOC particularly in the
development of LNG facilities, oil reserves and the training of Filipino
manpower for work in LNG industries in the Philippines and overseas. — Victor
V. Saulon
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