CHATTOGRAM, May 8 (V7N) — The country’s only state-owned oil refinery, Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL), reopened its main distillation plant today after a 26-day operational halt caused by depleted crude oil reserves.

ERL Managing Director Engineer Sharif Hasnat confirmed that production officially resumed at 8:00 am following the arrival of a fresh shipment of crude oil.
Navigating Supply Disruptions

The refinery was forced to suspend operations on April 12 after its previous stock, which arrived in mid-February, ran out. The shortage was exacerbated by shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz linked to the escalating Middle East conflict.

Alternative Routes: The new supply of 100,000 tonnes arrived via the vessel MT Ninemia, which bypassed the disrupted Strait of Hormuz route to reach the Kutubdia Channel.

Lightering Operations: Due to the massive size of the tanker, the crude is currently being transferred to smaller vessels to be transported to the ERL facility in Patenga.

Incoming Supplies and Strategic Stock

To ensure continuous operations, several other shipments are in the pipeline:

MT Fossil: Dispatched to collect another 100,000 tonnes from Fujairah, UAE; expected to arrive on May 9.

Nordics Pollux: Currently holding 100,000 tonnes in Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura port, though it remains temporarily stranded due to regional shipping risks.

National Fuel Security

The Eastern Refinery plays a critical role in Bangladesh’s energy infrastructure:

Capacity: It processes approximately 1.5 million tonnes of crude oil annually.

Market Share: ERL meets about 20 percent of the nation’s total annual fuel demand of 7.2 million tonnes.

Product Demand: While the refinery processes various fuels, diesel remains the most demanded product in the country, followed by furnace oil, petrol, and octane.

According to Commodore Mahmudul Malek, customs and survey formalities for the current shipment have been completed, ensuring a steady flow of crude to the refinery to stabilize the domestic fuel supply.

END/AJ/RH/