Gov’t still keen on Manila-Batangas gas pipeline

The government is still keen on putting up a gas pipeline from Batangas to Manila, a ranking energy official said.

Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) president Eduardo Mañalac said the construction of the gas pipeline, named BatMan, will depend, however, on the outcome of the privatization of the generation assets of National Power Corp. (Napocor).

"The baseload of BatMan is the Sucat thermal power plant, so we have to wait until PSALM (Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.) decides what it would do with it," he said.

Mañalac said the gas pipeline facilities are crucial for the development of the downstream natural gas industry in the country.

"In my opinion, we have to have some kind of a pipeline along the Manila Bay. But eventually, a facility to deliver or transport gas to Manila would be needed," he said.

The 800-megawatt decommissioned Sucat diesel-fired facility is being readied to be converted into a natural gas power plant. Sucat, as an anchor load, will then justify the construction of the $100-million, 80-kilometer BatMan gas pipeline.

BatMan is a priority energy sector project of the Philippine government and has been endorsed by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as a project of national significance. PNOC has secured an environmental compliance certificate or ECC for the project in March 2004.

PNOC has started in 2003 the process of acquiring rights-of-way for the project to maximize the use of government properties in designing the pipeline route.

It has also obtained the support of and is in close coordination with other concerned government agencies and private entities such as the Toll Regulatory Board, Philippine National Construction Corp., STAR Infrastructure Development Corp. and the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The pipeline system aims to extend the use of the Malampaya natural gas to potential users in the industrial, commercial, transport and residential sectors.