A senior energy official said on Tuesday that three government-approved LNG import terminal projects in the Philippines are expected to start commercial operations in early 2023, marking the birth of the country's liquefied natural gas industry.
The projects are those of Singapore-based Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific, First Gen Corp and Australia-listed Energy World Corp, according to Laura Saguin, head of the Department of Energy's natural gas management division.
The DOE has approved six of the terminals. Three others are expected to come online within the next three years, including a project proposed by Shell.
The Southeast Asian country will have to import LNG to fuel gas-fired power plants with a combined capacity of more than 3,000 megawatts, as output from the Malampaya gas field in the South China Sea is expected to decline this year.
Malampaya gas is expected to run dry by 2027 without any further development to boost its output, according to the DOE.