To What Extent Is The Authority Of The Energy Commission? - Kwesi Pratt Questions

Kwesi Pratt, Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, has raised red flags over the first flow of the natural gas from the Jubilee Fields to the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant. The natural gas which flowed from the Jubilee Fields on Monday is reported to be contrary to an advice given by the Energy Commission (EC). The process began with the flow of 16 million standard cubic feet (scf) of gas for pre-commissioning and commissioning, according to the Tuesday Daily Graphic publication. "Earlier, the EC had written to stop the Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) from flowing natural gas from the Jubilee Fields to the plant, fizzling out hope that the about $1-billion plant would start processing gas anytime soon... "Ghana Gas had announced that the plant was ready to receive gas, as all the necessary mechanical works had been completed, but the EC, in a terse letter dated November 8, 2014 to the company, warned that it was too risky to do so," the report read. According to the Energy Commission, "hot works" have begun on the gas processing. "The Wood Group, an independent audit group, had also cautioned against the commissioning of the plant with live gas, saying it was not the normal practice, given the time the plant had been sitting idle." Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", Kwesi Pratt asserted that the first flow of the gas by Ghana Gas brings into question the authority of the EC. He expressed worry why any oil and gas company would flout the directives of the Energy Commission. To him, if indeed the EC warned Ghana Gas about the implications of the gas flow, yet they went ahead with the process; then �it raises the issue of the authority of the Energy Commission. To what extent is the authority of the Energy Commission? Can any company operating in the oil and gas even if it�s State-owned refuse instructions from the Energy Commission; refuse an order from the Energy Commission?� He also wondered why Ghana Gas would begin the process if they are not operating on a full-scale commercial basis.