LNG holds out the early solution
Saturday, 23 October 2010
IT may take four or five years or even more to explore and exploit coal and effectively diversify energy basket. Even if the government starts in earnest to explore the off-shore resources it will take at least seven to nine years to reap harvest from the offshore petroleum exploration. It may take at least five years to derive benefit from the regional energy ring. But the Bangladesh economy will run into disaster if some contingency actions are not taken immediately to confront the on-going energy crisis.
Import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) can be a ready solution to these growing energy problems. If aggressive actions can be taken in this area, it is possible to reap benefits within a year. It may sound a costly option. But if we consider overall impacts of adding about 500 MMCFD gas to our ailing economy in a year's time by building a system based on LNG imports, the gains will outstrip pains many times. A good number of our Asian large economies are either mostly dependent on imported LNG or have taken up the LNG route in a massive way to ensure their energy security.
LNG technology is evolving fast and it may no longer need massive LNG regasification plants and receiving terminals. Much smaller low draft LNG ships and floating LNG terminals are creating revolution in LNG trade and use. Bangladesh does not appear to have any better contingency plan than to depend on the LNG route to meet its energy needs particularly in the short term.
Shamim Ahmed
Banani, Dhaka.
Import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) can be a ready solution to these growing energy problems. If aggressive actions can be taken in this area, it is possible to reap benefits within a year. It may sound a costly option. But if we consider overall impacts of adding about 500 MMCFD gas to our ailing economy in a year's time by building a system based on LNG imports, the gains will outstrip pains many times. A good number of our Asian large economies are either mostly dependent on imported LNG or have taken up the LNG route in a massive way to ensure their energy security.
LNG technology is evolving fast and it may no longer need massive LNG regasification plants and receiving terminals. Much smaller low draft LNG ships and floating LNG terminals are creating revolution in LNG trade and use. Bangladesh does not appear to have any better contingency plan than to depend on the LNG route to meet its energy needs particularly in the short term.
Shamim Ahmed
Banani, Dhaka.