Govt to expand fuel reserve capacity to store 3 months’ supplies

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Chairman Md Rezanur Rahman on Wednesday said the government is working to increase the country’s fuel reserve capacity to store up to three months of supplies.

He made the remark while visiting an LPG Plant in the Chattogram city’s Patenga area on Wednesday.

“Enhancing storage capacity is now one of our top priorities. We have received directives from the government and are working on it. Our target is to ensure at least three months’ reserve capacity,” said the chairman.

He said the expansion could be implemented in different ways, including utilising government and privately owned unused storage tanks across the country and constructing additional tanks at different company facilities.

“Once the Eastern Refinery Ltd (ERL) Unit-2 goes into operation, a significant amount of LPG will be available. Instructions have been given to develop the capacity for bottling and marketing the LPG. Storage capacity will also be tripled,” he added.

Rahman further said decisions have been taken to establish LPG plants at Mongla and Elenga following feasibility studies, which are to be conducted in a short time.

He also said the authorities are maintaining communication with all possible sources to ensure uninterrupted oil supply in the country.

“We are working on all fronts. We have already asked BSC to arrange a vessel for the next crude shipment,” he added.

Regarding the Single Point Mooring (SPM) project, the chairman said the issue of appointing operator is now at the technical evaluation stage.