Special Report :
Summit LNG Terminal Co Pvt Limited (SLNG) has successfully restored operations and is now fully equipped to resume ship-to-ship (STS) LNG transfers and regasification. This will enable the daily supply of 500 million cubic feet of regasified LNG to the national grid, providing a crucial boost to Bangladesh’s energy supply.
The terminal plays a vital role in meeting the growing demands of the country’s power, fertiliser, and industrial sectors. Summit’s local and international teams have worked relentlessly over the past few months to repair the Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU), which was severely damaged during cyclone Remal earlier this year. During this period, the company invested millions of dollars in repair efforts, underlining the significance of the project to the nation’s energy security.
*Cyclone Remal’s Impact on Operations*
On 23 May 2024, as cyclone Remal approached, SLNG preemptively suspended its ship-to-ship LNG transfer operations. However, during the peak of the storm on 27 May, a stray floating pontoon weighing hundreds of tonnes repeatedly struck Summit’s FSRU, causing significant damage to the ballast water tank.
Internationally renowned surveyors were brought in to assess the extent of the damage, after which the FSRU, featuring a Disconnectable Cone and plugs, was sent to Singapore for repairs. Following successful restoration, the unit returned to Moheshkhali on 10 July 2024.
Just a day after its return, a technical mishap occurred while mooring the FSRU. The Disconnectable Turret Mooring (DTM) plug became entangled, damaging the DTM buoy messenger line. This setback further delayed the resumption of operations. Summit then enlisted the expertise of Norwegian maritime companies MacGregor and CAN System, along with Singapore’s Shelf Subsea, to rectify the issue.
Adding to the difficulty, eastern Bangladesh was grappling with its worst floods in over three decades. The silt-laden floodwaters made underwater visibility near zero, creating significant obstacles for the internationally licensed subsea diving team working on the repairs.
Reconnecting the FSRU required precise repositioning of the DTM plug onto the landing pad at the seafloor. The initial attempt using an Anchor Handling Tug (AHT) named Coral proved insufficient, as the vessel lacked the necessary force. Summit then contracted a higher-capacity crane vessel, the Oriental Dragon, a Diving Support Vessel (DSV), to complete the task.
By the end of August 2024, the Oriental Dragon had conducted 35 dives and successfully repositioned the Gravity Anchor, enabling final regasification and STS operation tests to proceed. After a total of 131 subsea dives, a team of engineers from Norway, Australia, and Summit LNG Terminal restored the subsea assets to their full functionality.
Today, Summit LNG Terminal is fully operational, having successfully reconnected to its Holdback Anchors. The terminal is once again ready to play its crucial role in supplying regasified LNG to the national grid, ensuring a stable and reliable energy source for the country.
As Bangladesh continues to face rising energy demands, Summit’s efforts to restore this vital terminal underscore the importance of resilient energy infrastructure and international collaboration in addressing unforeseen challenges.