Peru LNG has shipped the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from its plant at Pampa Melchorita since August 13, according to state-owned Perupetro.
Perupetro’s data shows that the 138,000-cbm LNG carrier Bilbao Knutsen left Peru LNG’s 4.45 mtpa liquefaction plant on September 11 to El Salvador.
However, its AIS data provided by VesselsValue reveals that the LNG carrier departed from the plant earlier this week and it appears to be heading south, towards Chile.
To remind, Peru LNG has shipped three LNG cargoes in August following a planned maintenance shutdown in July.
Prior to this shipment in September, the 170,000-cbm Methane Mickie Harper loaded the third August cargo and left the plant on August 13.
Issues with feed gas affected LNG shipments from the Peru LNG plant in August and September.
Peru’s energy and mines ministry announced on August 11 an emergency measure to allow it to prioritize domestic natural gas supplies due to reduced supplies from Pluspetrol’s Las Malvinas natural gas plant.
Due to necessary repairs at the plant which feeds the LNG facility, this measure first lasted from August 11 to August 24, but it was extended to September 20 due to additional works.
Peru LNG’s plant at Pampa Melchorita shipped five cargoes in June, the same as in the month before.
In total, the plant sent 706 LNG cargoes since 2010, Perupetro’s data shows.
US-based Hunt Oil holds a 50 percent operating stake in the Pampa Melchorita LNG plant, while SK and Marubeni have 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
LNG giant Shell also holds a 20 percent stake and takes all the volumes produced at the facility.