The government has planned to import Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) through Payra seaport. A feasibility study will be started soon in this connection. Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has taken the decision in a meeting recently, a Petrobangla official said.
However, local energy giant Summit, US firm Excelerate and UAE-based ENOC have already proposed to set up floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) and import LNG using Payra port with a capacity of 500mmcfd each.
Energy division officials said the country’s gas demand is increasing rapidly due to the industrial and socio-economic development. However, the gas supply for domestic use is depleting. In this situation, the government is planning to import more LNG. Besides, gas exploration activities will continue onshore and offshore.
At present, the country’s gas demand is around 4,000mmcfd whereas the government is able to supply around 3,200mmcfd gas. It has predicted to reach gas demand of 5,092mmcfd by 2041, of which, 3,850mmcfd will be met by import.
The government has taken initiatives to import 3,000 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) LNG by 2041. Besides, it is going to set up two land-based LNG terminals with a re-gasification capacity of a total 2,000mmcfd at Matarbari of Cox’s Bazar, energy division officials said.
However, the country’s natural gas supply has doubled over the last decade spurring economic growth thanks to various measures of the government.
When the Awami League-led government assumed office in 2009, total gas production capacity was 1,744mmcfd, which is now 3,760mmcfd including 1,000mmcfd of LNG. However, around 700mmcfd of LNG is being supplied to the national gas grid. The country has the capacity to produce another 300mmcfd of RLNG from LNG but cannot supply the gas to the national grid due to the low capacity of the pipeline. The country’s gas fields were 23 in 2009 which are now 27.
Against the backdrop of an increasing gas demand, the government decided to import LNG in 2010 to meet the country’s energy deficit. Finally, the LNG import was started from 2018.
