Gas shortage unlikely to ease right away

The supply from liquefied natural gas (LNG) has fallen further, meaning the ongoing gas shortage is unlikely to end immediately. The crisis may continue for several more days.

Authorities familiar with the matter said the floating LNG regasification terminal that converts imported LNG into pipeline gas remained out of operation on Saturday.

Gas shortages have affected several areas of the capital, including Kalabagan, Mohammadpur, Kafrul, Kazipara, West Tejturi Bazar and Badda. In some places, gas pressure is extremely low, while in others household cookers do not ignite at all.

Bangladesh operates two floating LNG regasification terminals at Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar to convert imported LNG into pipeline gas.

US-based company Excelerate Energy operates one terminal, while private company Summit operates the other.

A fire broke out at the Excelerate Energy terminal on Tuesday, forcing it to suspend gas supply and significantly worsening the country's gas shortage.

According to sources at the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla), the Excelerate terminal has two boilers. One boiler sustained damage in the fire.

If engineers can restart the undamaged boiler, they will be able to increase gas supply by another 300 million (30 crore) cubic feet per day. A team of specialists from the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates has been working at the terminal since on Thursday.

Bangladesh's gas sector has operated with a persistent gap between demand and supply for the past one and a half decades.

Domestic gas production has also declined steadily over the past several years, increasing the country's reliance on LNG imports. At present, LNG accounts for between 35 and 40 per cent of the total daily gas supply.

Petrobangla Director (Operations and Mines) Md Rafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo, "The technical team is continuing its work, but we have not yet been able to bring the terminal back into operation. It may take more time. However, we cannot specify exactly how long it will take."

The power sector consumes the largest share of the country's gas supply. Gas-fired electricity generation has fallen by around 1,500 megawatts, raising concerns over a power shortfall. Industry is the second-largest gas consumer.

Besides electricity generation and industrial use, gas is also used for cooking and as fuel for compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. However, many households have been unable to use their gas cookers for several days.

Some consumers have started purchasing electric cookers, while low-income families are trying to cook with firewood using traditional clay stoves. Long queues of vehicles have also formed at CNG filling stations.

Petrobangla estimates daily gas demand at 3.8 billion (380 crore) cubic feet. However, average daily supply has remained around 2.7 billion (270 crore) cubic feet since last year.

Following the fire that shut down one LNG terminal, daily gas supply has fallen to below 2.15 billion (215 crore) cubic feet.

Petrobangla issued a statement yesterday, Saturday, apologising to customers for the disruption.

The statement said domestic and international technical teams are working tirelessly to repair the technical fault at the Excelerate Energy terminal and restore operations.

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution PLC, which supplies gas across Dhaka and neighbouring districts, said all categories of customers within its service area would continue to experience low gas pressure until the situation improves.

Customers in Mohammadpur staged a human chain protest on Friday. Consumers have also been expressing their frustration regularly in the Facebook group “Amra Mohammadpurbashi”.

Energy expert M Tamim told Prothom Alo, "The gas sector has been hanging by a thread for a long time. The closure of one terminal has exposed the vulnerability on a large scale. Experts have been calling for alternative arrangements for years. If another onshore terminal had been in place, the current crisis might have been avoided."