MANILA: Three government-approved LNG import terminal projects in the Philippines are expected to begin commercial operations in early 2023, marking the birth of the country’s liquefied natural gas industry, a senior energy official said on Tuesday.

The projects are those of Singapore-based Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific, First Gen Corp,, and Australia-listed Energy World Corp, said Laura Saguin, head of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) natural gas management division.

The three terminals are among six such projects that the DOE has approved.

The three others are expected to come online within the next three years, including a project proposed by Shell.

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The Southeast Asian country will need to import LNG to fuel gas-fired power plants with a combined capacity of more than 3,000 megawatts, as output from its Malampaya gas field in the South China Sea is expected to start declining this year.

Malampaya gas is expected to run dry by 2027 without any further development to boost its output, according to the DOE.