Thailand’s third main gas pipeline is due to start commercial operations in March after test runs carrying between 30 million and 40 million cubic feet (mcf) per day, operator PTT PCL said.

The pipeline should reach its full transmission capacity of 1,860 mcf a day then, Chitrapongse Kwangsukstith, senior executive in charge of PTT’s gas business, said.
“We are gradually increasing the transmission level from between 30 and 40 million cubic feet per day now until March, when we start full commercial operations,” Chitrapongse said.
It had been scheduled to go into commercial operation in December, but construction delays pushed the date back.  Chitrapongse said in November an extension of the third gas pipeline, which would expand into the Malaysian-Thailand Joint Development Area (JDA) in the Gulf of Thailand, would be completed in May 2007 as scheduled.
The 400-km offshore pipeline will link PTT’s gas separation plant in eastern province of Rayong to the Erawan field in the Gulf of Thailand.