DHAKA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- State-owned Petrobangla (Bangladesh Oil, Gas & Mineral Corporation) has moved to set up three more liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in addition to the existing two currently being operated to regasify imported gas.
The proposed three new LNG terminals, which will be set up in Payra in the south-western corner of Bangladesh and Moheshkhali and Matarbari in the southeastern region of the country, would have about 3,000 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMcf/d) regasification capacity, Petrobangla Chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker was quoted by Bangladeshi leading private news agency UNB as saying in a report on Monday.
Sarker said that of the three LNG terminals to be set up, two will be floating while the other will be a land-based terminal.
According to official sources, all three LNG terminals will be set up on the basis of unsolicited offers received from local and foreign companies.
"Negotiations are progressing fast," the Petrobangla chairman said recently, adding that after government approval for setting up the terminals, it will take three to five years to get them installed and ready for operation.
He also justified Petrobangla's move to setting up the new LNG terminals, saying that the country's demand for gas supply is growing rapidly, and it will reach 6,500 MMcf/d by 2030 from the current demand of 4,000 MMcf/d against a supply of 3,000 MMcf/d.
If the moves are not undertaken, the country will experience more deficit in gas supply, the Petrobangla chairman said. ■