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The government has reissued a tender to purchase one spot LNG cargo for the June 26–27 delivery window to meet growing summer demand from industries and power plants.
State-run Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd (RPGCL) reissued the tender last week to procure the cargo, which will have a volume of around 3.36 million British thermal units (MMBtu).
The winning bidder will deliver the LNG cargo to Moheshkhali Island in the Bay of Bengal, with the option to discharge it at either of the country’s two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) located on the island.
RPGCL reissued the tender after cancelling the previous one because of receiving higher-than-expected price proposals from suppliers, said a senior RPGCL official.
If this tender succeeds, the country’s total spot LNG purchases for June will be three cargoes -- half the number purchased in May, he said.
Bangladesh bought six spot LNG cargoes for May deliveries, the highest in a single month so far this year.
The country expects lower LNG demand in June due to cooler temperatures and monsoon rainfall, which is likely to result in fewer spot LNG purchases, the RPGCL official added.
RPGCL, a wholly owned subsidiary of state-run Petrobangla, oversees LNG trading in Bangladesh.
Recently, Bangladesh awarded two spot LNG cargo tenders to Vitol Asia Pte Ltd for the May 30–31 and July 2–3 delivery windows at \$11.44 per MMBtu and \$11.57 per MMBtu, respectively.
In addition to spot cargoes, Bangladesh has been importing LNG from its two long-term suppliers --QatarEnergy LNG (formerly Qatargas) and OQ Trading International -- for regasification at its two operational FSRUs.
Azizjst@yahoo.com