LNG supply begins in port city
People of Chittagong started receiving Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as the authorities have finally been able to connect the imported consignment to the pipeline of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Ltd (KGDCL) yesterday.
Officials of KGDCL said they started supplying LNG from KGDCL reservoir at Anowara upazila under the district at around 2:30pm, adding that initially 75 million cubic feet (cft) of gas would be supplied in Chittagong area per day.
They also said the LNG was taken to the Matarbari reservoir from the LNG tanker “Excellence” last Sunday (August 12). They were able to bring the gas at Anowara through 91 kilometers pipeline on last Friday.
The ship carrying Bangladesh's first imported consignment of 1.37 lakh cubic feet of LNG from Qatar anchored in the Bay on April 24. Since then several deadlines had expired for gas transmission to the reservoir due to technical issues.
KGDCL Managing Director Khaiz Ahmed Mozumder told The Daily Star, “Today is a special day for people of Chittagong. After a long time, we have been able to start supplying gas at customer level. Gas passing through the pipeline will be 75 million cft a day initially. Gradually, the gas flow will increase up to 280 million cft.”
Mahbubul Alam, president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told The Daily Star that there was a demand for 500 million cft of gas in Chittagong every day, but 240-250 cft was available from the national grid.
“Production at many factories in Chittagong has remained suspended because of gas crisis. Many of these industries will be able to resume production following the supply of LNG,” he added.
Comments