Insufficient FSRU security threatens gas supply chain

While onshore facilities can be quickly secured by law enforcement, FSRUs, which supply much of the country’s gas, remain at risk of disruption due to their remote location.

October 30, 2024, 07:50

Last modified: October 30, 2024 07:56 am.

The floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) operated by Summit in the Bay of Bengal is vital to Bangladesh’s gas supply. However, both it and the FSRU operated by Excelerate Energy face safety issues due to a lack of dedicated supervision. Operators have long sought government security support, but progress on major measures has stalled since April, despite annual meetings. Photo: SUMMIT POWER INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE

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The floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) operated by Summit in the Bay of Bengal is vital to Bangladesh’s gas supply. However, both it and the FSRU operated by Excelerate Energy face safety issues due to a lack of dedicated supervision. Operators have long sought government security support, but progress on major measures has stalled since April, despite annual meetings. Photo: SUMMIT POWER INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE

The absence of a dedicated monitoring team for floating storage regasification units (FSRUs) in the Bay of Bengal near Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar has raised concerns about the vulnerability of these vital facilities to sabotage and piracy.

While onshore facilities can be quickly secured by law enforcement, FSRUs, which supply much of the country’s gas, remain at risk of disruption due to their remote location.

Bangladesh began importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2018 to meet growing demand, with two FSRUs operated by Excelerate Energy and Summit currently supplying about 1,000 mmcm. feet of gas every day.

The country’s gas requirement is approximately 4000 million cubic feet per day, but the government can supply only 2500-3000 million cubic feet per day. Failures to operate FSRUs can cause significant energy shortages, negatively impacting the power sector and industry, as happened when one of two such floating terminals was suspended following severe cyclone damage in May this year.

Recent fires on two oil vessels Banglar Jyoti and Banglar Shourabh, owned by the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, have further heightened concerns about the overall safety of offshore energy infrastructure.

The FSRUs are located in a highly vulnerable area of ​​the Bay, approximately 20 km from the nearest police station, with limited protection from the Navy and Coast Guard due to their remote location.

According to the operators, under the agreement with FSRU operators, the government is responsible for the safety of floating LNG terminals and associated tugs and service vessels.

However, the government’s plan to form a special security force involving the navy and coast guard has been subject to lengthy procedures.

Although the formation of a special security group was discussed at the last inter-ministerial meeting on April 29, 2024, progress has been slow. During the meeting, the country’s first floating LNG import terminal operator, Excelerate Energy, presented a safety plan outlining the zones around the FSRU.

It is noteworthy that such a meeting is held annually to ensure the safety of the FSRU; the previous one took place on June 22, 2023.

Emails sent to Excelerate Energy seeking comment on the matter were not responded to.

Mohsena Hassan, a spokesman for another operator summit, said: “The agreements required the government to ensure the safety of both FSRUs. But there have been no updates since the last meeting in April 2024.”

The surrounding waters are a free navigation zone, and enforcing restrictions in these zones has proven difficult without special forces. Thus, FSRU operators must rely primarily on unarmed tugs for safety, which are insufficient to repel potential threats.

Engineer Nasir Uddin, deputy general manager of Gas Transition Company Limited in Chattogram, said, “The tugs of the FSRU operators are shooing away fishing vessels approaching the vessels as there are no other safety measures in place.”

He added: “If someone comes from outside and attacks, that is a concern. If there are any serious problems, we call the Navy and Coast Guard. We have also written to the local naval police to help with security.”

Lieutenant Commander Abrar Hassan, a staff officer of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, told TBS that they conduct year-round 24-hour patrols to ensure the safety of the country’s maritime territory.

“We are in regular contact with the FSRU authorities and coordinating patrols with the Bangladesh Navy, but there is no dedicated team to provide 24-hour security to the FSRU,” he said.

Efforts to declare both sites as Key Installation Points (KPIs) are ongoing, with one site already achieving Category 1(c) KPI status. However, even with this indication, safety remains insufficient.

Engineer Nasir Uddin confirmed that although one FSRU has been declared a KPI, safety remains inadequate.

He also noted that the process of forming a special team is ongoing, saying: “There are issues of recruiting individual personnel to the team. A study is currently being conducted. We expect to complete this process in the near future.”

Proposals have been made to create a permanent police post and strengthen the naval police capacity, but the recruitment of additional personnel is still ongoing.

According to the Bangladesh Police Special Branch, both the FSRU and the connection point (the location in an existing plant or pipeline where new pipelines or equipment will be connected) are highly vulnerable to attack.

Alak Biswas, additional superintendent of police (special branch), Cox’s Bazar district police, told TBS that a report has been sent to the headquarters regarding security concerns regarding the FSRU.

The wider power infrastructure, including the Single Point Mooring (SPM) 16 km from Kaladia Char, also faces security threats. Plans to build a third floating LNG terminal and land terminal are expected to further strain existing security resources.

Zanendra Nath Sarker, chairman of Petrobangla, called for a comprehensive security plan involving the Navy, Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies.

He said it has been proposed to create a special task force to protect not only the FSRU but also the wider power assets in the region, including the Matarbari power hub.

Energy officials and operators said that as Bangladesh becomes increasingly dependent on LNG imports, swift action is needed to protect FSRUs and other vital offshore energy facilities for the country’s energy security.