CHEVRON'S SW CHINA GAS PARTNERSHIP MOVING FORWARD, BUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHENGDU 000236 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/CM E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2019 TAGS: ENRG ETRD EINV PGOV SOCI KNNP CH SUBJECT: CHEVRON'S SW CHINA GAS PARTNERSHIP MOVING FORWARD, BUT FACING BUREAUCRATIC HURDLES CHENGDU 00000236 001.2 OF 003 CLASSIFIED BY: David E. Brown, Consul General, U.S. Consulate General Chengdu. REASON: 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The first stage of Chevron's upstream gas development project on the Sichuan-Chongqing border is poised to take a significant step forward when it receives National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) approval in the coming weeks. Chevron and PetroChina signed a multi-year production sharing agreement (PSA) in 2007 to jointly develop sour gas, natural gas with high levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S),after two accidents demonstrated that PetroChina needed a foreign partner to safely develop the 176 billion cubic meters (bcm) of proven gas reserves. The partnership with PetroChina and the development work are progressing well, but an extensive set of approvals and reviews from the local to the national level have delayed some development targets. Chevron believes its partnership in this SW China gas project will open doors to future opportunities in China and in third countries. End Summary. Chevron Enters Southwest China After Major Gas Accidents -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Chevron inked a PSA with PetroChina in December 2007 following PetroChina's two major accidents as operator of the Chuangdongbei (CDB) gas field, located near Dazhou, Sichuan. A gas leak at one of the wells in 2003 killed 243 people and may have injured as many as 9,000 more, General Manager of Chevron's Chuandongbei project Steven Haile told Consul General recently. Following a second gas leak in 2006 that resulted in the evacuation of 7,000 people living near the development, the Chinese government mandated that PetroChina bring in a foreign partner with experience in developing sour gas. None of the wells drilled prior to Chevron's participation in the CDB project entered full production or supplied gas to downstream customers. ¶3. (SBU) Chevron holds a 49 percent stake in the gas field development PSA, and in August 2008 officially became the CDB project operator. Due to the previous accidents and ongoing safety concerns, Chevron delayed taking on full operational responsibility for the field until it could ensure that existing wells had sufficient safety upgrades to prevent any additional accidents. The PSA stipulates that Chevron will transfer gas production technology and train PetroChina employees in the safe development and operation of sour gas fields. Chevron may hand over full operation of the CDB project to PetroChina within 10 years, based on milestones in defined in the PSA, PetroChina's "demonstrated capability" to operate the field, and financial triggers. Why Is Sour Gas Significant? -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The CDB project holds 176 bcm of proven gas reserves, but the gas has a high fraction of H2S, ranging from 12-16 percent, which adds complexity to the development and production process. Sour gas requires specialized purification plants to remove the H2S and convert it to sulfur. To prevent H2S corrosion, transport and purification equipment require the use of specific metal alloys. Chevron currently needs to import some of this pipe because no suitable product is available in China. Haile said that Chevron probably won the bid to operate the field because of the company's previous experience working with sour gas in places like Kazakhstan. ¶5. (SBU) Chevron plans to build two sour gas purification plants that will have the capacity to process 3,000 tons of sulfur per day. The sulfur separated from the gas can be sold in the commercial market. Carbon dioxide and other non-sulfur, waste components of the gas will be re-injected into the ground or burned and vented into the atmosphere. Chevron will be buying carbon credits to offset CO2 venting from the gas treatment plants, Haile said, effectively making the facilities "zero (carbon) output." CHENGDU 00000236 002.2 OF 003 Development and Resident Relocation Plans -------------- ¶6. (SBU) A total of eight Chevron employees moved to Chengdu in February 2008, but the staff expanded rapidly to over 120 expatriate families in September 2009. The majority of the expatriate staff is currently based in Chengdu. Field work to date has required a comparatively small number of staff and has focused on safety upgrades to existing wells. Chevron plans to salvage eight of the roughly 55 wells PetroChina drilled prior to 2007. Haile said that eight additional wells will be drilled in the first stage of the CDB project. A second stage will include the construction of eight new wells and one "salvage well" rehabilitated from those drilled before 2007. Haile plans to have both the first and second stages of the development online by 2013-2014. The third stage of the project will follow, but he did not say when this stage might enter production. ¶7. (SBU) Haile said that the first stage of the development will require the resettlement of approximately 4,500 - 5,000 local residents living near the CDB project. Chevron, together with PetroChina and the local governments, has already provided temporary resettlement for some residents who lived in close proximity to the existing wells. PetroChina and Chevron facilitated these moves to ensure compliance with Chevron's safety guidelines and operating procedures. Chevron officials said they will provide permanent resettlements in accordance with international standards, and the company is working to ensure that resettled residents have the ability to make a living after the move. Chevron is also planning the gas field development with the goal of minimizing the number of families that will need to move. The town of Nanba was the planned original location for the stage one gas treatment plant, but this area has a relatively large population. Chevron elected to relocate the plant to an area that has only about 4,000 people, limiting the number of required relocations. Lengthy Approvals Delay Work -------------- ¶8. (C) Haile expressed optimism and confidence about Chevron's partnership with PetroChina and the overall trajectory of the project. At the same time, he noted that the number of approvals needed before drilling and other major activities commenced had slowed the pace of development. Chevron must obtain approval from county, provincial, and ultimately national-level authorities for the overall development plan, the land use plan, and the environmental impact assessment. The NDRC is the final level of bureaucratic approval, but Chinese regulations stipulate that Chevron needs approvals for each of the three planned stages of the project. Haile said his company had hoped they would have NDRC approval for stage one of the CDB project in late 2008 or early 2009. Due to the number of bureaucratic entities involved in the process, however, Chevron is still awaiting NDRC approval of stage one, which he hopes to have in the near future. ¶9. (C) In addition to delays caused by the formal review process, negotiations with PetroChina have also, on occasion, taken longer than expected. Haile told CG that Chevron seems at times to struggle with PetroChina over operational processes and costs. PetroChina has argued in specific cases for less participation by foreign workers as a way to lower costs. Haile emphasized that he is willing to seek local suppliers and local labor whenever possible, but sometimes the right person or part for the job needed to come from abroad. He also remarked in a sarcastic manner that if PetroChina were so concerned about the cost of using properly-trained foreign workers, perhaps PetroChina could help lower the 58 percent tax Chevron pays for its expat employees. Comment: The Foot In The Door CHENGDU 00000236 003.2 OF 003 -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Haile told CG that he sees Chevron's participation in the CDB project as part of the company's larger presence in China. He suggested that the company could use this project as a way to establish stronger working relations with its Chinese partner and prove itself to Chinese officials in the NDRC. Haile implied that successful development and operation of the CDB project could open the door to stakes in other oil and gas projects in China, although he did not specify which projects were of greatest interest. He also agreed with CG's statement that this partnership might also strengthen Chevron's working relationship with PetroChina and present opportunities for cooperation in third countries. BROWN