CHATTOGRAM, July 28: The LNG supply from Summit Floating LNG Terminal may resume on July 30, according to RPGCL sources.
The sources said the Summit FSRU suffered damages on July 10 after arrival from Singapore during the mooring at Matarbari.
Summit's Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) returned from Singapore to Moheshkhali in Cox's Bazar after undergoing repairs to its ballast water tank on July 10.
On July 11, while preparing to moor the FSRU with the Disconnectable Turret Mooring (DTM) plug in the subsea landing pad, an unexpected entanglement and subsequent damage to the DTM buoy messenger line occurred.
Summit promptly assigned local divers who identified the entanglement.
Later, Summit promptly engaged a Singapore-based service provider and employed an internationally licenced and experienced deep-divers and DSVs to reach the FSRU site for a complete inspection and rectification process which is going on.
This disruption affected industries, residential areas, power plants, and CNG filling stations, resulting in long lines at CNG stations due to low gas pressure.
Meanwhile, the Summit FSRU, one of two FSRU at Matarbari had been damaged during recent cyclone Remal. Then it left for Singapore for necessary repair. After complete repair, the Summit FSRU had arrived in Matarbari.
Presently, one Excellerate Energy (FSRU) is producing over 600 million cft of gas, over its production capacity of 500 million cft. The production capacity of Excellerate FSRU had increased after maintenance works in Singapore in April this year.
Meanwhile, the government had cancelled four spot cargo deliveries of LNG for the damage of Summit FSRU, one of Bangladesh's two import terminals damaged during recent cyclone Remal.
The RPGCL, a subsidiary of state-owned Petrobangla, has been responsible to import LNG from abroad and receive re-gasification service from the existing two LNG terminals in Moheshkhali, one set up by Summit Group and another by US-based Excelerate Energy.
Each LNG terminal has a capacity to supply 500 mmcfd gas to the national gas network from which a major portion is supplied to Chattagram.
Meanwhile, the CNG refuelling stations across Bangladesh have been hit by a severe crisis after Cyclone Remal damaged the FSRU used for supplying imported LNG.
One broken stray steel structure weighing "hundreds of tonnes" had hit the Summit FSRU when Cyclone Remal lashed Bangladesh in May, causing significant damage.
The FSRU discharged the LNG it had carried before heading to Singapore for necessary repairs.
Earlier, the Summit FSRU had undergone regular maintenance and repair after five years of its installation in March last and resumed operation on April 12.
RPGCL sources said that both the FSRU need proper maintenance after 5 years of installation.
So, both the unit should be maintained in Singapore and to get a certificate, sources said.
First of all, the FSRU belonging to Excelerate Energy went to Singapore for maintenance works which returned on January 18.
Meanwhile, Petrobangla intends to re-gasify up to 8.33 per cent more LNG or up to 650 mmcfd of LNG until resumption of Summit's FSRU after carrying out overhauling to resolve the ongoing natural gas crisis in the country.
