Challenges at Atuabo Gas resolved Source: Graphic.com.gh

Mechanical challenges that impacted negatively on power supply have been resolved.

The Deputy Minister of Power, Mr. John Jinapor, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said the Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) resolved the challenges at the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant yesterday, adding that they lasted for 72 hours.

The mechanical challenges resulted in a power generation shortfall of about 120MW.

Ghana Gas, according to the minister, was ready to receive more gas from the Jubilee Field and so consumers should expect some significant improvement in power supply.

He, however, noted that Ghana Gas was receiving about half of the contracted 120 million standard cubic feet (mmscf) of gas a day due to challenges with the turret of the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah.

Nonetheless, he said, Tullow Ghana had given an assurance that it was working to resolve the problem soon.

In the meantime, Mr. Jinapor said, engineers in the power sector were keenly monitoring the situation and might commence the process of switching all dual fuel plants to light crude oil should the need arise.

On the current power generation deficit in total, he said he could not give the details because the situation varied on a daily basis.

What happened

For further explanation of the Ghana Gas challenges, the Communications Manager of Ghana Gas, Mr. Alfred Ogbamey, told the Daily Graphic that the challenges were resolved yesterday.

“We had slight mechanical challenges at the Atuabo Processing Plant that lasted for 72 hours. A faulty nox sensor limited our ability to push lean gas beyond 30 mmscf to Aboadze,” he explained.

The malfunctioning of the nox sensor, a mechanical device that aids in the regulation of lean gas, he said, created a shortfall of about 120 megawatts of energy during the period.

He further explained that Ghana Gas was only able to process 30mmscf out of the nominated 60mmscf and supplied 25mmscf to Aboadze within the period.

“The local representative of the manufacturer, unfortunately, didn’t have the sensor in stock. We ordered the part from Europe and anticipated that it would arrive on Friday. Fortunately, it arrived last Wednesday night and by 1:30 p.m. on Thursday it had been fixed,” he said.

Ghana Gas ready

Mr. Ogbamey said Ghana Gas was, therefore, in a position to receive the 60mmscf limited volumes from the FPSO for processing and onward delivery to the Aboadze Thermal enclave to generate power.

“Ghana Gas appreciates its role in providing cheaper and more reliable and efficient alternative fuel source to resolve Ghana’s energy challenges and is looking forward to getting back to optimum operations,” he said.

The Atuabo Gas Processing Plant has the capacity to process 150mmscf of gas a day but currently receives 60mmscf as a result of challenges on the FPSO.

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