SPM buoy for BPC project likely to arrive in Chattogram in Oct

CHATTOGRAM, Aug 21: The buoy for Single Point Mooring (SPM) for the project of the State-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) styled "Installation of Single Point Moorings with double pipeline' at Moheshkhali has been manufactured in China under the supervision of Netherlands experts. It is expected to arrive in Chattogram by October next.
'Blue Water' a Holland Firm has manufactured the SPM and pipeline under the supervision of a Chinese organisation, China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company Limited (CPPECL).
According to Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) sources, the buoy will be shipped in the next month of September.
The project includes construction of Storage Tank, Pump House and installation of 220 km long double pipeline.
The Chinense Exim Bank has signed an agreement to provide financial assistance for the project.
After the installation of the SPM, the huge petroleum-carrier ships will be able to offload fuel directly to the pipeline to take the same to the Eastern Refinery. But under the current arrangement, big ships usually anchor at deep sea at Kutubdia from where lighter vessels receive the imported crude and refined petroleum to carry to the Eastern Refinery with the whole process taking 12 to15 days.
BPC sources said, the project was scheduled to be completed on August this year. But the sources said, only 70 per cent of the project have so far been completed. So, there is no alternative to extend the time for the project.
Sources said, a total of 193 km long pipeline has already been installed.
BPC management said that the corona pandemic had hampered the works of the project.
So, the scheduled time for completion should be extended for one year more. BPC has already submitted such a proposal with a revised DPP to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral resources which is now under consideration.
Presently, two lighter vessels of the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) carry the imported petroleum products to ERL site from the Kutubdia site of the Bay.
But when the SPM will be set up with underground pipeline, it will take just 24 to 48 hours instead of 15 days.
The proposed pipeline from deep sea will save both time and money of the government as it will help to unload crude and refined petroleum from the vessels in the deep sea without berthing in the port. The BPC sources said, with its installation, a total of Taka 116 crore will be saved.
At present, the country imports 65 million tonnes of crude and refined petroleum fuel to meet the annual demands. Of them nearly 1.2 million tonnes are refined in ERL, the only refinery of the country.
This import is expected to rise significantly when a number of fuel-fired power plants are set up in the country. As per project proforma, 110 km long double pipeline from Deep sea of Moheshakhali to Eastern Refinery site in Chattogram will be installed for carrying crude and refined petroleum products.
The 110 km long pipe line will be installed in two lines. One pipeline will transport crude oil while another pipeline will carry refined oil. 17 km long pipeline from deep sea to Moheshkhali point has been installed are of 36- inch  diameter while from Moheshakhali to Chattogram ERL site is of 8- inch diameter.