The government has new plans to set up two more land-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals at Moheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar and Paira Seaport area.
According to the fresh plans by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD), Petrobangla – the state-owned oil company under the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources – will implement the projects.
The new plans come despite the fact that the government is yet to set up the country’s first ever floating storage and re-gasification unit (FSRU) – better known as an LNG terminal – in the five years since the plan was originally hatched.
The EMRD has reportedly asked Petrobangla to appoint a consultant and to invite an expression of interest (EoI) from prospective bidders to implement the land-based LNG projects.
“We are planing to set up two land-based liquefied natural gas terminals. There are 6,000 acres of land at Paira Seaport area. We have sought 200 acre of land out of the total 6,000 acre,” Energy Division Secretary Abu Bakar Siddique told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
The purpose of setting up the terminal is to import LNG, so that the country does not have to face any sudden energy crisis because of supply shortfall in the near future.
Earlier, the Power Division also initiated a project to set up the country’s first-ever land-based LNG terminal at Anwara in Chittagong or Moheskhali in Cox’s Bazar.
Under that plan, the Power Cell has already sought the Power Division’s approval to short-list three international firms for awarding contract to build the country’s first onshore LNG terminal.
However, energy sector insiders told the Dhaka Tribune that the lack of coordination between the Power Division and the EMRD might hamper implementation of the projects as well as deny the country their benefits.
After assuming office in 2009, the Awami League-led government decided to import LNG to feed the national grid by 500mmcfd from 2013.
At present, the country’s gas production is about 2,745mmcf per day against a demand of 3,200mmcfd.