Gas supply to national grid increases after 1.5 months

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply to the national grid has been increased amid the severe gas crisis that has been continuing for more than one and a half months. LNG supply has been raised to 98 crore cubic feet per day after a new cargo started arriving from 10pm on Monday (September 14).

Petrobangla said that with the addition of imported LNG to production from domestic gas fields, total daily gas supply to the national grid currently stands at about 260 crore cubic feet. It is hoped that the gas shortage in industrial factories, power plants and overall will ease somewhat as a result.

Relevant sources said the actual daily demand for gas in the country is about 380 crore cubic feet. However, demand is managed through supply of 265 to 270 crore cubic feet in normal times. Due to cargo shortage, supply dropped to 237 crore cubic feet yesterday. Of this, only 75 crore cubic feet was obtained from LNG.

Currently about 162 crore cubic feet of gas is being extracted daily from domestic gas fields. With the increase in LNG supply, total supply has been raised to 260 crore cubic feet. As a result, the gas supply situation has improved somewhat compared to the recent crisis.

Sources at Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL) said that although there was a plan to bring 10 LNG cargoes in September, it has been possible to confirm nine cargoes due to price increases in the global market and tender-related complications. Of these, two cargoes have been collected from Gunvor under long-term contracts, two from Aramco under short-term contracts and five from the spot market.

LNG has already been unloaded from a cargo of South Korean company Posco after Aramco and British Petroleum. The remaining cargoes are scheduled to arrive in the country gradually from Gunvor, Aramco and Total Energies between 16 and 28 September.

Meanwhile, six LNG cargoes have already been finalized to ensure supply for October. In addition, a new tender has been invited for the purchase of five more cargoes. Relevant quarters expect that the gas supply situation in the national grid will become more normal if these cargoes arrive in the country on time.