Tribune News network
Doha
Qatargas recently delivered the first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG), on board the Q-Max LNG vessel, Bu Samra, to Thailand's Map Ta Phut LNG terminal.
The delivery took place under the long-term sale and purchase agreement (SPA) between Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited - 3 (Qatargas 3) and Thailand's PTT Public Company Limited, a press release said on Saturday.
So far, Qatargas has supplied PTT with 9 million tonnes of LNG, delivering most of these cargoes via Q-Flex vessels, but Q-Max vessel is the first to arrive at Map Ta Phut since the terminal began operational in 2011, a statement said.
In December 2012, Qatargas 3 and PTT Company Limited had signed an SPA to deliver 2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG for a period of 20 years beginning from 2015. This agreement marked PTT's first long-term LNG SPA and Qatargas' first long-term agreement in South-East Asia.
Currently, Map Ta Phut terminal is the only LNG receiving terminal operating in Thailand, and it can receive both Q-Flex and Q-Max vessels.
Qatargas sees Thailand as an evolving LNG market and recognises its growth potential within South East Asia.
Q-Max vessels can carry up to 266,000 cubic metres of LNG and are 80 percent larger than the conventional LNG vessels.
Qatargas has a chartered fleet of 13 Q-Max vessels that transport LNG from Qatargas plants in Ras Laffan to markets around the globe.