Titas users grapple with gas shortage after LNG ‘glitch’

“Technical glitch” at the LNG terminals in Maheshkhali have reduced daily gas supply by around 450 million cubic feet (mmcfd).

Hence, residential, industrial, commercial and CNG station customers under the Titas Gas distribution network will continue to experience low gas pressure until the situation improves, the company said.

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution PLC said on Tuesday that the technical problems at the Maheshkhali LNG terminals had reduced the supply of regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) by around 450mmcfd.

The company did not specify which terminal had developed the fault, the nature of the technical problem, when the disruption began, or how long it might take to restore normal supply.

As in previous announcements, Titas expressed regret for the "temporary inconvenience" caused to customers.

In an earlier statement issued on Monday, the company had said a supply shortfall had left industrial, commercial, CNG and residential consumers in several areas under its network facing "severe low gas pressure".

The statement, however, did not explain the reason behind the supply deficit, identify the affected areas, or indicate when the situation might return to normal.

Tuesday's statement attributed the crisis to technical glitch at the LNG terminals in Maheshkhali.

Imported liquefied natural gas is converted back into its gaseous form at LNG terminals before being fed into the national transmission network. This regasified fuel is known as RLNG.

The Titas distribution area has a daily gas demand of around 2 billion cubic feet. Over the past few days, however, supply has fallen to below 1.5 billion cubic feet a day, leaving the company with a shortfall of around 500 million cubic feet compared with demand.

The supply deficit has reduced gas pressure not only in Dhaka but also in Gazipur and Narayanganj.

Titas officials said the crisis has been more severe in Dhaka because it is located at the downstream end of the transmission and distribution network.

Residents in several parts of the capital, including Mohammadpur, Mirpur and Dhanmondi, have complained that gas has either been unavailable for much of the day or the pressure has been too low to operate cooking stoves over the past several days.

Many households have turned to electric cookers for meal preparation, while others have been forced to buy cooked food from outside.