After deferring twice, the government says it hopes to start supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the national grid by early next month.
After the first shipment arrived from Qatar on Apr 24, the energy division said it expected to start the supply by early May.
But two days later, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources said in a statement citing State Minister Nasrul Hamid that the supply through the national grid will start on May 25 or 26.
On Saturday, Joint Secretary Zanendra Nath Sarker of the energy and mineral resources division told Bangla Tribune that it’s expected to start between Jun 6 and 12.
He said the supply of imported LNG to the national grid has been deferred again due to leaks in the pipeline.
A floating storage and regasification unit or FSRU of Excelerate Energy Bangladesh brought the first shipment of 133,000 cubic metres LNG from Qatar to Moheshkhali LNG terminal.
“There are some issues with the line from the sea to the terminal, which are being fixed. But bad weather conditions is delaying the work,” Sarker said.
State-run Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) said the will be added to the national grid from Maheskhali via Anwara in Chattogram (Chittagong) through a 91-kilometre pipeline.
That pipeline is ready, but problems have emerged in the 4-km pipeline under the sea, which connects the FSRU with the terminal.
“There are two expansion joints in the pipeline. Whenever gas is supplied at the 1,500 psi (per square inch) pressure, it starts to leak. But there’s no problem in case of 1,000 psi,” said Md Quamruzzaman, managing director of state-run Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd (RPGCL).
The RPGCL oversees the under-sea pipeline.
“Repair works are going on for the last five to six days. But divers are facing difficulty working in the rough sea due to harsh weather,” he told Bangla Tribune.
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 Jul 18, 2016.
According to the deal, PetroBangla will import the LNG and Excelerate will be in charge of regasificationing at $0.49 for per unit (1,000 cubic feet). The total cost will stand at $0.56 as PetroBangla will pay all the taxes on behalf of Excelerate.
Petrobangla will get the ownership of the terminal, including the FSRU, after 15 years.
Bangladesh has signed deals for LNG supply with three other companies Summit, Reliance and the consortium of local Hong Kong Shanghai Manjala Power Limited (HSMPL) and Malaysia's Global LNG and Petronas LNG Limited.
Summit is expected to start supplying in October this year, while Reliance in June next year and HSMPL in 2020.
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