The government will buy two more liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes for September deliveries to meet the country's mounting natural gas demand.
State-run Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd (RPGCL) sought to buy these LNG cargoes from the spot market for September 10-11 and 22-23 delivery windows, a senior RPGCL official told The Financial Express on Monday.
The evaluation committee is currently evaluating bids from the interested suppliers who submitted offers at the close of the August 3 deadline.
The volume of the spot LNG cargoes is around 3.36 million British thermal units (MMBTU) each.
The cargoes are to be delivered to the Moheshkhali Island, with an option to discharge them at either of the country's two floating storage re-gasification units (FSRUs) located on the island.
Bangladesh has so far bought only one spot LNG cargo for September delivery.
If the tender turns out to be successful, the country's spot LNG cargo purchase for September deliveries would be three.
RPGCL might seek to buy more LNG cargoes from the spot market in late September, said the official.
Bangladesh has procured five spot LNG cargoes for July and August delivery windows.
It has been purchasing an increased volume of spot LNG cargoes over the past several months as part of a plan to boost natural gas supplies to industries, said the RPGCL official.
Bangladesh awarded its latest spot LNG cargo tender to Posco International Corporation of South Korea for the September 21-22 delivery windows at $11.95 per MMBTU.
RPGCL is a part of Petrobangla and looks after LNG trading in Bangladesh.
In addition to spot LNG cargoes, Bangladesh is importing LNG from its two existing long-term suppliers - QatarEnergy LNG (formerly Qatargas) and OQ Trading International - for regasification at its two operational FSRUs.
Besides, the South Asian country will import one additional LNG cargo from OQ Trading of Oman in August under a newly-inked sales and purchase agreement on short-term LNG supply to buy a total of 17 LNG cargoes from August 2025 to December 2026, said the RPGCL official.
Bangladesh has been rationing gas supply to industries, power plants, and other gas-guzzling consumers to cope with the mounting natural gas demand.
The country's overall natural gas output - local gas and imported LNG combined - was around 2,734 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD), including 967 MMCFD of re-gasified LNG, against the demand of over 4,000 MMCFD, according to official data as of Sunday.
Azizjst@yahoo.com