Gas supply resumes in Chattogram from LNG terminal

Gas supply resumed in Chattogram from a floating LNG terminal in Moheshkhali of Cox's Bazar on Saturday morning following a disruption over mechanical failure at the terminal, according to local news portals.

Residents in the port city confronted a sudden and complete halt in gas supply on Friday due to a technical issue at the LNG terminal. The floating storage and re-gasification unit (FSRU) malfunction caused the suspension.

According to bdnews24.com, gas supply to the city gradually resumed late on Friday night, according to the Emergency Control Room of the Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL).

But, as of 11 am on Saturday, it had not reached most parts of the port city. Only a handful of CNG refuelling stations had gas in the morning.

Gas was available in homes on a limited scale on Friday night, but was out again on Saturday morning.

Mitra Biswas, a housewife from the city’s Cheragi Pahar area, said her stove was burning dimly around 1 am on Saturday, but it had died out since.

Rashedul Tushar, a resident of the K block in the city’s Halishahar, said there was no gas at his home or in nearby areas.

The neighbourhoods of Andarkilla, Chawkbazar, Bahaddarhat, Badurtala, Muradpur, GEC intersection, and other parts of the city do not have gas either.

CNG-run autorickshaws and cars were lined up at the refueling station at the Kadamtali intersection around 9:15 am on Saturday.

The Cox’s Bazar LNG Terminal began supplying gas on Friday night, said Aminur Rahman, general manager of KGDCL.

Asked why gas supply was still inconsistent across the city, he said, “The gas is being added to the national grid through the main pipeline. We weren’t able to make it available at a high pressure from the start.

"Some of it has come through the main pipeline to Chattogram. For that reason, we are getting gas at low pressure. But some areas are getting gas.”

The pressure will slowly return to normal, Rahman said. “It will reach a certain level by Saturday afternoon.”

The gas supply to Chattogram’s homes, factories, and power stations was completely cut off late on Thursday night due to a technical issue at an LNG terminal during the commissioning process.

The demand for gas in Chattogram is largely met through supplies from floating LNG terminals. A shortage developed as an average of 325 cft is consumed every day, but only 290 cft was being supplied.

Residents faced great difficulty as gas was cut off without notice. All CNG refueling stations, three fertiliser factories, and power plants in the area were closed to conserve gas.