DOE mulls 2nd CNG refill station

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Energy (DOE) is considering the possibility of putting up a second compressed natural gas (CNG) refilling station, DOE assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said over the weekend.

“There is an ongoing feasibility study which will involve a technical working group and all CNG players (bus operators, Malampaya consortium, Pilipinas Shell) for a prospect of a second refilling station,” Marasigan said.

But Marasigan pointed out that there is still no firm commitment on the construction of the said CNG station.

He said the second CNG refilling station will still be part of the pilot test of the DOE’s Natural Gas Vehicle Program for Public Transport (NGVPPT).

“We are not talking yet of commercial use of CNG. We can not just jump to commercial stage of the CNG program,” he said.

According to Marasigan, the memorandum of understanding (MOU), in accordance with the study of the CNG program, may include the establishment of the second refilling station if warranted.

“It is an option well-defined in the MOU and should we foresee a need to construct a second station to complement the existing one, we may do so,” he said.

Under the pilot stage of the CNG program, he said it is critical that 70 buses should be running.

Thus, he said they may consider putting up a second CNG refilling station to support the targeted number of CNG-run buses.

Marasigan said the possible locations for the second refilling station are yet to be determined.

The DOE official said if he will be asked to suggest prospective sites for the proposed second CNG refilling station, it would be in areas where it would be accessible to buses.

“It would be in Baclaran near Mall of Asia, under the flyover of Magallanes, and in a lot near the Trinoma mall,” he said.

Aside from a CNG refilling station for CNG-run buses inaugurated in March 2008, a refilling CNG facility for sedans had been inaugurated at a Shell station in Mamplasan in April 2008.

The CNG mother facility, owned by the Shell Group, is located in Batangas.

CNG is a by-product of natural gas. It is an environmentally cleaner form of fuel that helps reduce pollution and since it is an indigenous natural resource, it also helps reduce the Philippines’ dependence on imported oil.