First LNG shipment arrives in Bangladesh from Qatar

A floating storage and regasification unit or FSRU has carried 133,000 cubic metres of liquefied natural gas or LNG from Qatar to Bangladesh in the first shipment as per a deal.

FSRU is a special type of ship used for storing and degasifying the LNG and supplying it on shore. The FSRU in Bangladesh has the capacity to hold 138,000 cubic metres and distribute up to 500 million cubic feet per day. The ships carrying LNG to Bangladesh will transfer the consignments to this FSRU, which will supply it to the terminal after regasification. Singapore-based Astra Oil and Excelerate Energy Consortium are functioning as Excelerate Energy Bangladesh for the project.

Supply of gas through pipeline from the terminal would start in the first week of May. Once the supply from FSRU through the Moheshkhali terminal starts in the first week of May, it will be added to the national grid via Chattogram’s Anwara. Chattogram will get 300 to 350 million cubic feet gas daily from the imported LNG. The remainder will be sent to Dhaka.

The work to set up several floating and land-based LNG terminals in Moheshkhali, Khulna and Patuakhali’s Payra is under way.

In line with the deal with Excelerate Energy, Bangladesh will have to pay $0.49 per 1,000 cubic feet of gas to the firm in terminal installation costs and other expenses.

Petrobangla will get the ownership of the terminal, including the FSRU, after 15 years.