Excelerate FSRU Back Online, But LNG Delivery Woes Persist

American company Excelerate Energy has announced that its floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) is now ready to operate at full capacity, bringing relief to industries, power plants, households, and other gas-guzzling consumers in Bangladesh.

The FSRU had been operating at partial capacity since August 6 after a fire incident on July 21, but it has now fully recovered from the damage. With both FSRUs operational, the country's total regasification capacity is around 1,050 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd).

However, arranging LNG cargo delivery to the FSRU has become a major challenge. Petrobangla is struggling to get LNG cargoes from suppliers who won contracts under the direct-purchase method (DPM). Aramco's LNG cargo, which was supposed to berth on August 12, is still stranded in the Bay of Bengal due to rough seas and objections from the FSRU operator.

Three other companies that won DPM contracts are also not maintaining proper communication with Petrobangla. The suppliers, Maxwell International SPC, Blacklude International Ltd, and Zhenuy Shipping Company Ltd, are contractually bound to deliver one LNG cargo each by August.