Qatargas has delivered the first Q-Max cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) under the long-term Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) between Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited — 3 (Qatargas 3) and PTT Public Company Limited to the Kingdom of Thailand’s Map Ta Phut LNG receiving terminal.

The cargo arrived on board the Q-Max LNG vessel, Bu Samra, on August 5, Qatargas said in a statement.
This is the first Q-Max vessel to arrive at the Map Ta Phut terminal since it started commercial operations in 2011 when Qatargas delivered the first commissioning cargo to Thailand. Since then, Qatargas has supplied PTT with approximately 9mn tonnes of LNG, delivering most of the cargo via Q-Flex vessels.
In December 2012, Qatargas 3 and PTT Company Limited signed an SPA to deliver 2mn tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG for a period of 20 years from 2015. This agreement marked PTT’s first long-term LNG SPA and Qatargas’ first long-term agreement in Southeast Asia.
Currently, Map Ta Phut LNG Receiving Terminal, which can receive both Q-Flex and Q-Max vessels, is the only LNG receiving terminal operating in Thailand.
Qatargas said it sees Thailand as “an evolving” LNG market and recognises its growth potential within Southeast Asia.
Q-Max vessels can carry up to 266,000 cubic metres of LNG and are 80% larger than the conventional LNG vessels. Qatargas has a chartered fleet of 13 Q-Max vessels that transport LNG from Qatargas plants in Ras Laffan to markets around the globe.