1.2 lakh tonnes of furnace oil to be imported from Vietnam

The government will import 1,20,000 tonnes of furnace oil from Vietnam to meet the growing demand of petroleum particularly for the rental and quick power plants.

According to official sources, the energy ministry has forwarded a proposal to the Cabinet Division to place it to the Cabinet Purchase Committee's meeting scheduled for today.

The energy ministry officials said they had finalised a deal recently with Vietnam's Petrolimex to import the bulk of furnace oil which would cost approximately  $82.464 million. The premium of per tonne fuel was proposed to be $32.

'Considering the proposed premium on the fuel, the total value of 1,20,000 tonnes of furnace oil will possibly cost Tk 618.48 crore,' said an official. The Purchase Committee is also expected to fix a premium for import of 60,000 tonnes of furnace oil from the Maldives' MNOC.

Cabinet Division officials said the purchase body might consider a total of 15 proposals including the fuel imports and gas pipeline construction in different places of the country.

The government needs to import some 8,52,000 tonnes of furnace oil for six months from July to December 2011.

The energy ministry official said the ministry had set this requirement taking into account the use of the petroleum fuel in power plants and for other purposes, including its use in the industries where gas was not available.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation has so far received assurances from different sources to have the supply of a total of 7,65,000 tonnes of the fuel.

Negotiations are on with different sources to meet the remaining demand, according to the source.

Among the other sources for supply of furnace oil, Petco of Malaysia has assured of providing 1,40,000  tonnes, while ENCO of United Arab Emirate 80,000 tonnes, MIDOR of Egypt 1,00,000 tonnes, Chinese Petrochina 20,000 tonnes, Bumisiak of Indonesia 100,000 tonnes and MNOC of the Maldives 60,000 tonnes.

Besides, BPC will get 1,45,000 tonnes of furnace oil from the state-owned Eastern Refinery Limited.

The demand for furnace oil has shot up in recent months following the installation of liquid fuel-fired rental power plants in private sector.

The government, however, has taken the move to set up the liquid fuel-fired plants amid severe gas crisis.

The state-owned BPC is responsible to ensure supply of the petroleum.

 

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