CHATTOGRAM , Oct 1: State-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) is trying to operate its newly installed Single Point Mooring (SPM) with double pipe line as early as possible, said BPC Chairman Amin-Ul Ahsan.
He said, "We are discussing with procurement experts of the country about the procedure of operation and maintenance of the modern installation in the petroleum sector.'
He said that the experts are expected to submit a report to BPC later in the week.
The operation of the SPM will facilitate avoiding the use of oil tankers to transport crude oil.
The interim government cancelled special rules for appointing a firm for operation and maintenance of SPM.
The interim government wants to appoint the firm under the Public Procurement Rules (PPR) 2008.
The PPR requires at least three bidders to evaluate them.
The BPC Chairman said, 'We expect to invite tenders later in the current month."
The project for "Installation of Single Point Mooring (SPM) with double pipe line" was taken to transport refined and crude oil directly from mother tanker to Easter Refinery to save time and cost.
The distance of SPM to Storage tanks in Matarbari is 16 km offshore while the distance from Matarbari Storage tanks to ERL tanks is 94 km needing 110 km of total pipeline.
Of the total 110 km long pipeline includes 73 km is on-shore while 37 km is offshore from SPM to ERL site.
The main objectives of the project are to ensure unloading of imported crude oil and finished products including diesel with ease, at low cost and short time, reducing system loss of imported crude and finished products through lighterage operation, keeping balance between the growing demand of energy and its supply, enhancing the petroleum oil retention capacity through setting up of six diesel and crude oil storage tanks at Moheshkhali and increasing energy supply security.
BPC sources said, installation of the SPM would save Tk 800 crore annually.
Bangladesh annually imports nearly 80 million tonnes of crude and refined petroleum.
And early 1.2 million tonnes of crude oil is refined at ERL.
Of the double pipeline, one will be used for transporting crude oil and the other for transporting diesel.
The two pipelines will have the capacity to o pump over 45 million tonnes annually.
Under the project, a storage capacity of two lakh tonnes has been developed at Moheshkhali. Crude oil and diesel will be unloaded from SPM using two pipelines each of 36 inch diameter.
From there, those will be transported to the ERL through 94-km long pipelines. The ERL, having an annual capacity of refining 15 lakh tonnes of crude oil, now can store 5 lakh tonnes of oil, said sources. China provided $467.84 million as preferential buyers' credit and $82.5 million as soft loan.
Exim Bank of China provided the money to be repaid in 20 years at an interest rate of 2.0 per cent per annum with five years' grace period. The project has been completed and commissioned.
To operate the project, BPC has formed 'Petroleum Transmission Company' (PTC), on the model of Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL).
