BPC seeks consultant to oversee ERL-2 construction

The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation has initiated the process to appoint an international project management consultant to oversee the construction and expansion of Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL) under its ERL-2 modernisation project, a move expected to significantly reduce the country's dependence on imported refined petroleum products.

The state-owned corporation issued an Expression of Interest yesterday, inviting experienced global consulting firms to supervise engineering, procurement and construction works for the refinery expansion project at North Patenga in Chattogram.

The modernisation and expansion essentially involves the construction of ERL-2 under the new name of "Modernisation & Expansion of Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL)" project, ERL Managing Director Md Sharif Hasnat told The Business Standard.

According to him, the existing refinery has a processing capacity of around 15 lakh tonnes per year, which is insufficient to meet rising demand for diesel, jet fuel, octane and other petroleum products. The expanded facility is expected to raise capacity to around 45 lakh tonnes annually, he added.

The project, to be fully funded by the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, is scheduled to undergo modernisation works from December 2026 to November 2030.

Role of the project management consultant

The appointed project management consultant will function as the technical and managerial backbone of the project, overseeing all phases from contractor selection through to commissioning and handover.

A key responsibility will be finalising engineering, procurement and construction tender documents, evaluating technical and commercial proposals, and recommending the successful contractor for the multibillion-dollar project.

The consultant will also review and update the Front-End Engineering Design previously prepared by a consortium comprising Technip France and Technip Geoproduction Malaysia, and coordinate with process licensors to finalise technical documentation for licensed units.

Experience requirements and technical scope

According to the Expression of Interest, eligible consulting firms must have at least 20 years of experience in oil and gas consultancy services, either independently or as part of a joint venture. Firms must also have acted as project management consultant for at least three refinery projects with a minimum capacity of 50,000 barrels per stream day.

At least two of these projects must have been executed outside the consultant's home country within the past 20 years.