Russian, Chinese groups may join bid for BatMan gas pipeline
Two of the world’s biggest players in the oil and gas industry have signified interest to bid for the construction of the 100-kilometer Batangas-Manila (BatMan I) gas pipeline, an energy official said.
PNOC-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) president Rafael del Pilar said state-owned PetroChina Co. Ltd. and
He said PetroChina had, in fact, already presented a definitive study and a concrete proposal for the pipeline.
PetroChina, the listed arm of mainland
The company is engaged in a broad range of activities related to petroleum and natural gas.
Gazprom, on the other hand, is the largest Russian company and biggest extractor of natural gas in the world. With sales of $31 billion in 2004, it accounts for about 93 percent of Russian natural gas production and controls 16 percent of the world’s gas reserves.
Apart from its gas reserves, Gazprom also manages the world’s longest pipeline network spanning 150,000 kilometers.
It also controls assets in banking, insurance, media, construction and agriculture.
Del Pilar said PNOC-EC, the oil and gas exploration unit of Philippine National Oil Co., has decided to update its feasibility study on the BatMan I project.
He noted that the project cost may be adjusted due to the increase in the prices of materials and equipment.
“The price of steel is higher now. We might need to re-assess the cost of the project,” he said.
BatMan I is a priority energy sector project of the Philippine government and has been declared by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as a project of national significance.
PNOC-EC, tasked to undertake the project, had already secured the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for the project in March 2004.
The pipeline system aims to extend the use of the Malampaya natural gas in
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