Bangladesh’s first floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) escaped major damage after a fire broke out during a ship-to-ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) transfer operation off Moheshkhali, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said on Wednesday.
The minister said the US-operated terminal, run by Excelerate Energy, avoided significant damage despite the incident. LNG supply from the facility will resume once the technical fault is repaired and authorities complete a review of the incident, he added.
The disruption occurred during a ship-to-ship LNG transfer at the offshore terminal, prompting a temporary suspension of regasification operations and reducing gas supplies to Bangladesh’s national grid by around 450 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd), according to Petrobangla.
The Moheshkhali FSRU, commissioned in 2018 and operated by US-based Excelerate Energy, was Bangladesh’s first LNG import terminal and remains a critical source of imported natural gas for power generation and industry.
Govt working to normalize gas supply after FSRU technical fault
The government is working to restore normal gas supply across the country after a technical fault at a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) disrupted the national gas distribution system, says BSS report.
The malfunction has reduced gas supply to the national grid by around 450 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd), the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources said in a statement today.
Gas supply from the affected FSRU has been temporarily suspended due to the technical glitch, resulting in low gas pressure for industrial units, power plants, CNG filling stations and other consumers in different parts of the country.
The ministry said relevant agencies and technical experts are working round the clock to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, efforts are being made to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to emergency and priority sectors through optimal management of the available supply.
The statement noted that inadequate emphasis on domestic gas exploration and production in previous years increased the country’s dependence on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), making the national gas supply system vulnerable to disruptions whenever import infrastructure encounters operational problems.
To reduce that dependence, the government has undertaken short-, medium- and long-term initiatives to boost domestic gas production. As part of the plan, 100 gas wells will be drilled in phases across the country.
It also mentioned that the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a Tk 7.29 billion project for drilling three gas wells in Begumganj and Sunamganj.
According to the statement, efforts are also underway to accelerate gas exploration in both onshore and offshore areas by inviting bids under the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) framework and encouraging investment from local and foreign companies.
The ministry added that gas exploration, well drilling, infrastructure development and the start of commercial production require considerable time, adding that the government is treating the issue as a top priority.
As part of its broader energy security strategy, the government has also initiated measures including inviting tenders for a fourth FSRU, assessing the feasibility of importing LNG from Malaysia through ISO tanks, reviewing pipeline and other transportation options to bring Bhola gas to the mainland, drilling new wells and carrying out workovers at existing gas fields, and diversifying energy import sources and supply infrastructure.