Qatargas has delivered its first LNG (liquefied natural gas) cargo to Bangladesh as part of a long-term sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla).
The 138,000 sqm commissioning cargo was loaded at Ras Laffan aboard 'Excelerate Excellence' before making the journey to the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) near Moheshkhali Island in Bangladesh.
The first commercial cargo will be delivered following the successful completion of commissioning and will mark the first long-term agreement to be delivered though ship-to-ship transfer in open water.
Qatargas had signed a landmark long-term SPA in September 2017 to supply up to 2.5mn tonnes of LNG annually to Petrobangla for 15 years.
"We are delighted to expand our Asian customer base with Bangladesh as our long-term customer. The successful delivery of our first LNG to Petrobangla highlights Qatar’s continued leadership in bringing clean and reliable LNG to new markets and new customers," said Saad Sheridan al-Kaabi, Qatar Petroleum president and chief executive as well as Qatargas chairman.
The first LNG delivery to Petrobangla reinforces Qatargas’ continued commitment to ensuring energy security to its customers in Asia, as well as its position as a reliable supplier of LNG, a cleaner, more efficient source of energy, he said.
“Bangladesh has already ensured sustainable annual growth of above 7%, and we are striving to ensure energy security and a reliable supply of gas to our entrepreneurs. LNG would play a vital role in the growth of the Bangladesh economy, and we are happy to enter into this historic partnership with Qatar, a long-trusted friend,” Abdul Mansur Md Faizullah, Petrobangla chairman, had said last year at the time of agreement with Qatar.
Bangladesh Oil and Gas Corporation and Bangladesh Mineral Exploration and Development Corporation were merged into a single entity under the name Petrobangla, whose activities include exploration and exploitation of oil, gas and mineral resources.
