THE country’s natural-gas output in 2016 amounted to 140,516 million standard cubic feet (MMcf), up from the previous year’s 122,541 MMcf.
Latest data from the Department of Energy (DOE) showed most of the gas was utilized to boost the country’s power generation. In particular, the date showed 132,350 MMcf of the country’s gas production went to power-generation use, while the industrial sector took up 2,782 cubic feet.
The transport industry recorded zero consumption. In all, natural-gas consumption during the period stood at 135,132 MMcf.
Natural-gas output peaked in 2011 at 140,368 MMcf. Total consumption stood at 137,066 MMcf. Of this, the power generation’s share in that year’s output stood at 133,732 MMcf; industrial at 3,288 MMcf; and transport at 47 MMcf.
From 1994 up to December 2016, the same data showed output reached 1,803,550 billion cubic feet (Bcf), while consumption stood at 1,705,616 Bcf.
During that period, natural-gas consumption for power generation totaled 1,705,616 Bcf; 31,675 MMcf for industrial sector; and 184 MMcf for the transport sector.
DOE officials said the country’s natural gas is being consumed domestically. It relies on the Malampaya deep-water gas field to fuel 30 percent to 40 percent of the country’s power requirements.
The Malampaya natural-gas facility supplies gas to three power plants with a total capacity of 2,700 megawatts (MW), providing about half of Luzon’s power needs. These power plants are the 1,000-MW Santa Rita; the 500-MW San Lorenzo; and the 1,200-MW Ilijan.
However, natural gas from the Malampaya gas field is expected to last by 2029 to 2030, more than five years than its earlier projected depletion date of 2024.
The Malampaya gas field has proven reserves of 2.7 trillion cubic feet (TCF) to 3.2 TCF, of which more than 1 TCF has already been consumed.