Authorities have started a test run for the supply of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the national grid and expect to start full-fledged supply from Aug 16.
“We are conducting test runs for LNG supply to the grid, but a formal announcement has not been made,” Petrobangla Chairman Abul Mansur Md Faizullah told Bangla Tribune.
He, however, said they were not sure when a full-fledged supply can start.
Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company or RPGCL Managing Director Md Quamruzzaman said that the floating terminal of Excelerate Energy has started to supply LNG from Monday.
In a Facebook post on Monday, he thanked all concerned. Bangla Tribune, however, could not reach him over phone for a comment despite several attempts.
Sources at the government’s Energy and Mineral Resources Division say that the test-run has started from Aug 12 and if everything was okay, a full-fledged supply will start from Aug 16.
In late April, a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) of Excelerate Energy Bangladesh brought the first shipment of 133,000 cubic metres LNG from Qatar to Moheshkhali LNG terminal.
The government said then it expected to start supply by early May, which however has been delayed for what officials said due technical issues and rough seas.
A pipeline stretching to Anwara Upazila of Chattogram (Chittagong), from the LNG terminal near Moheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar, has been installed to add the gas to the national grid.
The state-owned oil, gas and mineral resources company Petrobangla signed a terminal-use agreement with Excelerate Energy Bangladesh Limited to set up the country’s first LNG terminal on Mar 31, 2016.
Singapore-based Astra Oil and Excelerate Energy Consortium are functioning as Excelerate Energy Bangladesh for the project.
According to the deal with Excelerate Energy, Bangladesh will have to pay $0.49 per 1,000 cubic feet of gas to the firm in terminal installation costs and other expenses.
Petrobangla will get the ownership of the terminal, including the FSRU, after 15 years.