Bangladesh Gas Crisis Worsens as FSRU Repair Delays Continue

A fire severely damaged critical systems on an Excelerate Energy-operated floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in Moheshkhali, Bangladesh, on July 21. The blaze burned for over 15 minutes, affecting multiple cable systems essential for operating the FSRU.

The boilers themselves were not directly affected, but replacement cables are not available locally in sufficient quantities and will have to be imported. Petrobangla Chairman Md Abdul Mannan said local and foreign experts are working around the clock to restore operations.

'We are trying our best to start one of the boilers as soon as possible,' he said.

The FSRU shutdown has significantly reduced gas supply to the national grid. Total gas supply dropped to 2,151.7 million cubic feet (mmcfd) per day on July 25-26 against an official demand for 3,854 mmcfd. Of the supplied gas, only 501.1 mmcfd came from liquefied natural gas.