Part of the Arroyo administration’s long-term Integrated Natural Gas Infrastructure Project, the 100 km pipeline is intended to carry natural gas from the Malampaya gas field off the coast of Palawan, to the decommissioned 850 MW Sucat bunker fuel-fired power plant, located in southern Metro Manila. The Sucat facility, owned by National Power Corporation, is to be converted into a natural gas facility.
“We hope the project will be bidded out before the middle of March this year so we could comply with all the legal requirements,” said Batangas representative Hermilando Mandanas.
The project is a joint venture between the Philippine National Oil Corporation (PNOC), Italy’s Saipem Eni, Abu Dhabi-based conglomerate Sultan International Holdings (SIH) and its local representative Abacus Consolidated Resources and Holdings.
Abacus, PTT, Marubeni Corporation, Gazprom and PetroChina have all previously expressed interest in the construction of the Batman 1 natural gas pipeline project.
