LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) supplies have partially resumed in the country after three days of stoppage, resulting in an increase in the overall gas supply. Gas supply resumed in Chattogram as well but several CNG filling stations failed to supply gas to vehicles on Monday.
Industry and the power sector are also grappling with gas shortage. As a result the problem of load shedding persists.
According to Petrobangla, the daily demand for gas in the country is around 4 billion cubic feet while the peak supply is 2.8 to 2.85 billion cubic feet. Only 2.17 cubic feet of gas could be supplied on Monday morning. Later around noon, 250 million cubic feet of supplies began to flow from the Summit’s floating terminal.
LNG exported from overseas is supplied through two floating LNG re-gasification units at Moheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar.
Petrobangla said one of the regasification units is operated by American company Accelerate Energy and the other by Summit Group. Supplies from both these LNG terminals were stopped at 11:00 pm on Friday night amid cyclone Mocha. Excelerate Energy later moved its terminal to the deep sea to prevent possible damage from the cyclone. The terminal is going back up and it may take two weeks for the supply to be restored from the terminal.
A Petrobangla official told Prothom Alo on the condition of anonymity that there is currently a ship carrying LNG at Maheshkhali. Supplies will increase after another ship reaches Maheshkhali on May 18.
