It may take at least another week to restore normal LNG supply to the national gas grid as repair work continues on the Excelerate Energy-operated floating LNG terminal, which has been shut since a fire incident last week.
The shutdown has reduced daily LNG supply to the national grid from around 1,000 million cubic feet to about 500 million cubic feet, worsening the ongoing gas crisis affecting power generation, industries and households.
The LNG import and regasification operations are managed by Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited, a subsidiary of Petrobangla.
Confirming the situation, RPGCL Deputy General Manager for LNG Engineer Mohammad Saifullah Kabir told The TIMES of Bangladesh that gas supply to the national grid had fallen by nearly 50 per cent.
He said the second floating LNG terminal, operated by Summit Group, remained operational, but the shutdown of the Excelerate terminal had significantly reduced overall supply capacity. Repair work is under way on the affected terminal.
Asked when the situation might return to normal, Saifullah Kabir said engineers were working to restore operations, but it could take at least another week before the terminal resumed full operations and LNG supply returned to normal levels.
The combined regasification capacity of the two floating LNG terminals anchored off Maheshkhali is approximately 1,100 million cubic feet a day. Imported LNG is a critical component of the country’s energy mix, supporting electricity generation, industrial production and household gas consumption.
Meanwhile, State Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Division Aninda Islam Amit expressed hope that the gas supply situation would improve next week.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Monday, he said a government technical team was working closely with Excelerate Energy to restore the terminal’s operations.
Bangladesh currently operates two floating LNG terminals in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar, to receive, regasify and supply imported LNG to the national grid. One is operated by Excelerate Energy and the other by Summit LNG Terminal Company Limited.
The current crisis began after a fire incident at the Excelerate-operated terminal last Tuesday forced the suspension of gas supply from the facility, triggering a nationwide supply shortfall.
