Bangladesh’s gas supply situation is showing signs of improvement after a fresh LNG cargo reached Excelerate Energy’s floating terminal in Maheshkhali, restoring a key source of imported gas to the national grid after weeks of disruption.
The LNG carrier Flex Courageous, carrying the cargo from Cameron LNG port in the United States, berthed at the terminal on Saturday afternoon.
Unloading is expected to begin around 10pm after completion of technical and operational formalities, according to deputy general manager (LNG) of Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Mohammad Nasir Uddin.
“LNG unloading is scheduled to start at around 10pm. Necessary technical and other formalities are being completed before the process begins,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh.
Ahead of the unloading operation, authorities resumed limited supply from the Excelerate terminal from 2pm on Saturday by using the LNG remaining in storage at the facility.
The move added around 100 million cubic feet per day to the national grid.
The terminal had earlier reduced supply as the available LNG reserve had become limited following the disruption, until a new cargo arrived.
Excelerate’s terminal supply had remained shut for three days before the fresh cargo arrived due to the LNG supply disruption.
The move raised LNG-based supply to the national grid to around 650 million cubic feet per day, including nearly 550 million cubic feet from Summit LNG’s floating terminal, officials said.
Once the new cargo is unloaded and Excelerate returns to full-scale operation, the two Maheshkhali terminals are expected to supply around 1,000 million cubic feet of gas per day to the grid.
The additional supply could provide much-needed relief to power plants and industries that have struggled with severe gas shortages in recent weeks. Chattogram and other industrial hubs were among the worst affected, with factories forced to cut production due to low gas pressure.
Officials of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) and Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL) said gas supply in Chattogram increased slightly on Saturday afternoon and hoped the situation could return to normal from Sunday.
KGDCL Deputy General Manager (Distribution North Department) Md Rafiq Khan told TIMES that gas supply to Chattogram from the national grid was 188 million cubic feet per day on Thursday and Friday.
However, the supply increased slightly on Saturday afternoon.
The disruption began on 21 July after a boiler fire at Excelerate Energy’s floating LNG terminal reduced its regasification capacity, sharply cutting imported gas supply to the national grid.
The two Maheshkhali-based floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) have a combined capacity of 1,100 million cubic feet per day. Excelerate’s terminal can process up to 600 million cubic feet, while Summit LNG’s facility has a capacity of 500 million cubic feet.
Nasir Uddin said the latest LNG cargo at Summit’s terminal was fully unloaded on Friday afternoon and the carrier departed later that night.
Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company, a subsidiary of Petrobangla, manages Bangladesh’s LNG import and regasification operations.
While the return of Excelerate’s supply may ease immediate pressure on industries and power generation, the prolonged disruption has highlighted the vulnerability of Bangladesh’s gas system, which remains heavily dependent on a limited number of imported LNG facilities.
Bangladesh’s daily gas demand is estimated at around 3,800 million cubic feet. Domestic gas fields can supply up to 1,800 million cubic feet, while imported LNG can provide around 1,000 million cubic feet, leaving a shortfall of nearly 1,000 million cubic feet per day.
The crisis deepened after the FSRU disruption last month, followed by complications involving an LNG cargo that had to be returned due to a lack of insurance coverage.
The supply crunch forced industries to rely on expensive alternative fuels, while many smaller and financially weaker factories chose to suspend production rather than continue operating at reduced capacity and absorb higher costs.
