Dhaka: The government has taken steps to increase the number of LNG suppliers to ensure a more diversified and competitive supply arrangement, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood said here today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister, responding to a scripted question from ruling party lawmaker Md. Sadik Riaz (Dinajpur-2) in the Jatiya Sangsad, stated that Bangladesh currently imports liquefied natural gas (LNG) from various countries. He revealed that twenty-nine companies have already been shortlisted for purchasing LNG from the spot market, and efforts are underway to increase the number of suppliers.
The minister highlighted that the government imports LNG under both long-term and short-term contracts. Under long-term agreements, Bangladesh sources LNG from Qatar's Qatargas, Oman's OQ Trading Limited (OQT), QatarEnergy Trading LLC (QET), Excelerate Gas Marketing Limited Partnership (EGMLP), and Gunvor USA LLC of the United States. For short-term contracts, LNG is procured from OQ Trading Limited and Aarmco Trading Singapore PTE LTD (ATS).
He further explained that the imported LNG undergoes regasification at two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) located in Maheshkhali before entering the national gas grid as regasified LNG (RLNG).