According to Mrs Harriet Wereko-Brobby, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, WAPCo in 2014, at the request of VRA, embarked on a project to expand its Tema facilities to deliver more gas to the VRA at Tema.

The past few years have witnessed a growing demand for natural gas in Ghana in general and the Tema enclave in particular as a result of a massive expansion of power infrastructure. She said due to this growing demand, the VRA requested that WAPCo delivers the entire foundation volume of 130 mmscf/d of natural gas to the VRA in Tema.

“This demand by VRA necessitated the expansion of the WAGP infrastructure in Tema to accommodate the full foundation volume of 130 mmscf/d,” she said.

WAPCo, as a gas transporter, has facilities in Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana. In Ghana it has a Regulating and Metering Station in Takoradi and in Tema. These two facilities were sited in these two locations to facilitate gas delivery to the Volta River Authority (VRA).

WAPCo’s Tema Regulating and Metering (R&M) station was originally designed to deliver 70 mmscf/d of natural gas to the VRA. The expansion project involved the doubling of that capacity.

WAPCo’s facilities in Ghana were constructed based on an initial agreement to deliver 130 mmscf of natural gas daily to the VRA in Tema and in Takoradi. This volume is known as the foundation volume. The expansion is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

Positioning the WAGP to meet changes in Ghana’s energy market.   She said WAPCo recognizes the fact that a lot has changed in the sub region, especially in Ghana, since the pipeline started operations in 2011.

n response to these developments, WAPCo has made a number of adjustments to remain relevant in fulfilling the sub-regional dream of making available clean fuel for generating energy to support development in the participating countries, including Ghana.

"Aside the Tema expansion project, WAPCo in conjunction with ENI and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation is working on a Western Interconnection Project. The project is to enable WAGP reverse flow gas from the Western Region of the Country the Eastern part. The pipeline was originally constructed to transport gas in one direction – From Nigeria to Tema and then to Takoradi and not vice versa. The Western Interconnection Project will make it possible for WAPCo to transport Ghanaian gas from Takoradi to Tema.”

According to her,in July 2012, WAGP was declared an “open access” system to allow multiple shippers to use the pipeline to transport gas to any of the three gas importing countries.  Any suitably qualified entity can now apply to become a shipper with a view to entering into gas transportation contracts with WAPCo.

She said the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) was ready to play its role to help Ghana meet its energy needs.