Bangladesh Turns to Furnace Oil as Gas Shortage Bites
The government of Bangladesh is seeking to increase its reliance on furnace oil for power generation due to a gas shortage. The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has requested 204,100 tonnes of furnace oil from the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) to meet an average daily electricity demand of around 4,000 megawatts in September.
The request is urgent and covers 53 public and private power plants with a combined generation capacity of 5,538 megawatts. However, BPC sources say meeting this demand will be challenging, as their current stock stands at 14,751 tonnes, with another 100,000 tonnes expected to be imported during the month.
The demand for furnace oil has risen sharply due to the gas shortage, causing sales to triple in the first five days of September compared to last year. The electricity situation is now directly tied to the supply of furnace oil, with a 2,258-megawatt shortfall or load-shedding reported on September 5.
BPDB's managing director told Prothom Alo that while they have some stock and several tankers are en route, it may not be possible to meet BPDB's entire demand. However, efforts are underway to increase furnace oil imports, and BPC will try to supply as much as possible.