Tema LNG Terminal project lacks transparency

 

The Tema LNG Terminal Company (TLTC), which is believed to be controlled by Helios, China Harbour Engineering Company and a local Company  (unkown company), has entered into a BOOT agreement with Ghana Port and Harbor Authority to build an LNG terminal, including a breakwater and a regasification plant, to convert LNG into Natural Gas.

Rosneft, counterparty to the Terminal in a through-put-like Agreement with the TLTC, and with Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) as off take of the processed natural gas from the Regasification LNG Terminal.  

However, there is little, if any, information about the structure of ownership of this project, the details of the agreements where GNPC and GPHA are counterparties to the Gas Agreement with Rosneft and a BOOT Agreement with TLTC respectively.

With regards to the local company that has interest in the Tema LNG Terminal company very little is known; it is important that for a project of such magnitude and importance to the country that the capitalization, that is, source of funding and beneficial owners of this local company is known.

Also unclear is the financing of the regasification Terminal, which would include a breakwater, nor how the financing cost would be amortized in the final gas price to the consumer;  This is critical as GNPC will ultimately be paying for the project through a facility user charge while the TLTC takes the execution risk. The final gas price will be based on a delivery cost to the end user, mainly the IPPs and VRA, whose plants are in the Tema Enclave

On a related issue, it is not clear when is the reverse flow of natural gas, from West to East (W2E), is to be completed with compression capability although already captured in GNPC’s 2017/18 approved budgets at an estimated amount of US$120 million. Also unknown is how much gas (in mmSCF/day) will be able to flow from W2E and when this will be achieved; in 2019 or 2020.