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Bangladesh has completed construction of the 291 kilometer pipeline for transferring imported gas from deep sea offshore stations near Maheshkhali to Bakhrabad, and it is set to be fully operational in the next few days.
The Gas Transmission Company Ltd (GTCL) added that the pipeline will supply gas from two floating storage regasification units (FSRUs) to the national grid, especially to Chattogram, Feni, and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar in Mirsarai – the country’s largest investment hub.
A key component of the country’s fuel supply infrastructure, Bangladesh began construction of the pipeline in 2016, and completed the work in multiple phases. The largest section – stretching for 181 km through Faujdarhat-Feni-Bakhrabad regions – was completed this month.
GTCL sources said the commissioning of regulating and metering stations are currently underway, and will be completed within the next week.
Speaking to The Business Post, Project Director Md Ainul Kabir said, “Although the pipeline has been supplying gas since 2020, the construction of three metering and regulating stations was stuck due to Covid-19 crisis and other issues, causing the whole project to remain unfinished.
“Construction of the stations in Mirsarai, Cumilla and Bakhrabad regions have been completed and are fully functional. So, gas can be supplied to Mirsarai Bangabandhu Industrial City and Feni on demand.”
Although there was an existing 24-inch gas supply line previously built in the same region, the GTCL began construction of a 181 km parallel pipeline in 2016 to help tackle the gas crisis in Chattogram, as well as across the country by supplying imported gas.
GTCL sources said the 36-inch pipeline from Faujdarhat-Chattogram-Bakhrabad via Feni is now creating the scope for supplying imported and to be imported LNG (liquefied natural gas) through the FSRUs in Moheshkhali, after meeting the Chattogram city’s demands.
Any supply of additional gas will help cover the gas demand across Bangladesh.
Pipeline project at a glance
The construction cost of the Faujdarhat-Feni-Bakhrabad Transmission Line project was initially estimated at Tk 1,962.38 crore, but on April 30, 2019, it increased to Tk 2,469.41 crore. Project schedule was also extended for one and a half years in 2019, and again till December 2021.
This gas pipeline from Maheshkhali will be able to supply 1200 MMCFD (million cubic feet per day) of gas daily, of which 300-400 MMCFD will be used in Chattogram and its surrounding areas, while the rest will be supplied to the national grid, Project Director Ainul Kabir said.
GTCL sources said there are two pipelines of 80 km from Maheshkhali to Anwara. Construction of the one with a diameter of 30 inches was completed in 2018, and the other with a diameter of 42 inches was completed in 2020.
Besides, the construction of a 30 km pipeline with 42 inch diameter from Anwara to Faujdarhat was completed in 2019. Together, the pipeline system adds up to 291 kilometers.
Currently, 550 million cubic feet of LNG is being supplied daily from the two FSRUs, said Deputy General Manager of GTCL SM Farhat Omar, adding that so far 950 MMCFD gas has been supplied through this pipeline in a day.
Near Maheshkhali, there are two offshore FSRUs with a capacity of 500 MMCFD each, and both can supply 1,000 MMCFD of imported gas daily.
USA’s Excelerate Energy built one of the units, while Summit Energy built the other. Gas is supplied from Maheshkhali to Anwara through two parallel lines. Through Anwar City Gate Station, the gas is then sent to the national grid after fulfilling Chattogram’s demand.
