Gas supply to normalise in 2-3 days as FSRU resumes operations: Energy minister

Highlights:

• Excelerate's FSRU resumes partial operations, supplying 115 mmcfd to the grid
• FSRU had been shut since 21 July after a fire
• Gas-fired power plants to resume once supply stabilises
• Bangladesh seeks higher diesel imports from India via pipeline

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood has said gas supply in the country is expected to return to normal within the next two to three days as Excelerate Energy's floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) has gradually resumed operations.

"The LNG cooling process has started. Once it is completed, gas supply will begin," he told reporters at the Secretariat today (6 August). "I hope the overall gas supply situation will improve, although it will take another two to three days to return to normal," he added.

The minister further said gas supply would return to the level seen before the disruption caused by the FSRU shutdown.

The US-based Excelerate Energy's FSRU resumed partial operations today, supplying around 115mmcfd of gas to the national grid after remaining offline since 21 July due to a fire that damaged two of its boilers.

The shutdown significantly reduced regasified LNG supply and intensified the country's ongoing gas crisis, affecting industries, households and power generation.

Acknowledging the impact of the shortage on power plants, the minister said, "Once gas supply returns to normal, the power plants that remained idle due to the shortage will be brought back into operation."

Responding to criticism over the prolonged crisis, Mahmood said the incident at Excelerate was beyond human control. 

Govt requests India to increase diesel supply thru pipeline

The minister also said Bangladesh has requested India to increase diesel supplies through the cross-border pipeline. 

"We import diesel from India through the pipeline, and we have requested them to supply more," he told the media after a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi at the Secretariat yesterday.

Describing the meeting as routine, the minister said Bangladesh and India have several areas of mutual interest as neighbouring countries.

"I regularly meet ambassadors from different countries. The meeting with the Indian high commissioner was also a routine one. As India is our neighbouring country, we have many areas of mutual interest, and those issues were discussed," he added.

Gas supply to grid improves

After remaining out of service for nearly two weeks, the FSRU terminal operated by Excelerate Energy off Moheshkhali in Cox's Bazar has resumed partial operations, restoring gas supply to the national grid and improving pipeline pressure in Chattogram.

Petrobangla Deputy General Manager (Production and Marketing) Engineer Md Shahidul Haque today told The Business Standard that repair work on the damaged LNG terminal had been completed and the facility was currently operating in observation mode.

"Gas supply to the national grid resumed gradually from early hours of today [Thursday]. The terminal that remained operational throughout has been supplying around 500 million cubic feet of gas, while the repaired terminal is now contributing 230 million cubic feet," he said.

He added that supply will increase further after the technical performance is assessed. "If everything remains normal, the terminal will soon return to full operational capacity."

According to Petrobangla, the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) started sending around 115mmcfd of regasified LNG to the national grid from 3am, with gas being supplied through one of its two boilers. Its resumption marks the first step towards restoring normal gas supply, it added.

The Excelerate FSRU has a regasification capacity of 600mmcfd, although it had been supplying around 450mmcfd to the national grid before the incident.

"We have resumed operations with one boiler and are gradually increasing LNG supply," said Md Rafiqul Islam, director (Operations and Maintenance) at Petrobangla. "We're trying to raise the supply step by step. Cargo availability is also essential for increasing regasification."

Rafiqul added that an LNG cargo is currently waiting offshore and efforts are underway to berth it at the terminal. "If the cargo can be successfully docked, we expect to increase gas supply further," he said.

Mohammad Rafiq Khan, deputy general manager of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL), said Chattogram received 183mmcfd of gas on Wednesday and was receiving an even higher volume on Thursday.

"We are getting more gas today [Thursday], and pressure in the pipelines has also increased. The situation has improved," he said.

Residential consumers also reported an improvement in gas supply. Md Hasan, a resident of Hamzarbagh in Chattogram, said, "We have been receiving a fairly normal gas supply since this [Thursday] morning. Cooking was completed without any problems.