Vietnam’s Thi Vai terminal welcomes first LNG shipment

July 10, 2023, by Aida Čučuk

The Maran Gas Achilles vessel, carrying the first LNG shipment to Vietnam, has entered the Thi Vai LNG terminal, marking the first, and according to the Vietnam Gas Corporation (PV Gas), the most important event in the green energy transformation roadmap of the company.

With a volume of nearly 70,000 tons of LNG imported from Bontang port, Indonesia, the Maran Gas Achilles vessel, sailing under Greek flag, docked at PV Gas wharf to supply the entire amount of LNG for the trial run and official operation of Thi Vai LNG warehouse, PV Gas informed.

Shell International Energy Group has been selected by PV Gas as the supplier for this shipment.

The company said that after docking at the wharf, LNG from the vessel is pumped into the 180,000 m3 LNG tank through two DN500-sized loading arms and a DN900-sized import pipeline system.

To note, in order to ensure safe ship reception and compliance with maritime regulations, Vung Tau Arms Processing Company (KVT), a unit of PV Gas, is assigned the task of presiding over the related maritime work: to receive LNG ships and closely coordinate with relevant parties to develop a plan to ensure maritime safety for LNG ships up to 100,000 DWT to/from the port. PV Gas said this option has been approved by the Vietnam Maritime Administration, according to which the necessary maritime conditions for ship reception are ready.

PV Gas further stated that the Thi Vai LNG warehouse is designed with a maximum LNG import volume of 11,000 m3/h and its LNG storage tanks have two product lines, a peak inlet line and a bottom entry line.

The Thi Vai facility itself, located in Vietnam’s Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, is estimated to offer a capacity of 1 million tons of LNG/year in phase 1, with an expected increase to 3 million tons in phase 2.

PV Gas pointed out that simultaneously with the process of importing LNG from the ship docked at the port to the tank, LNG will also be continuously pumped out of the tank by low-pressure pumps, then pressurized through the high-pressure pump and re-gasified by the heating system. The regasified gas will flow through the commercial metering system to supply “addresses” in need of energy. Part of the gas will be supplied to the low-pressure station to reduce pressure and to customers consuming low-pressure gas at Phu My 3 Industrial Park. LNG will be distributed to customers in two ways, via pipeline or provided by tank truck/satellite LNG warehouse.

To remind, in May this year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam certified that PV Gas is eligible to be an LNG importer and exporter, making the company the first in the country to be recognized as such.