Shell, bp, Aramco and Glencore are among nearly two dozen companies to receive Bangladesh’s approval as spot LNG cargo suppliers.
The country is seeking to boost competition and cut costs, a top energy official told Reuters.
Bangladesh's spot market was previously dominated by Vitol, Gunvor and Excelerate Energy, said Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, the country's de facto energy and power minister.
But after the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August, the interim government is moving to an open tender rather than a private negotiation stance.
Bangladesh bought 5.2 mill tonnes of LNG last year, up 19% from 2022, and analysts expected demand to keep rising, as the population increases and domestic gas output falls.
The country spends about 60 bill taka ($504 mill) per year on LNG imports, mainly to run power plants. More than half comes from government contracts with Qatar and Oman and the rest via the spot market.
About half of Bangladesh's power generation capacity is gas based, but many plants are running short of supply.
"All the major players, the giants - Aramco, Shell, bp - have applied to supply. This is the advantage of opening up," Khan said. "We are trying to open up to have more competition and save more."
He also revealed that any potential savings would depend on new orders placed by state-run Rupantarita Prakritik Gas (RPGCL), but he did not say when this could happen.
Aramco's trading arm, Aramco Trading Co (ATC), bp Singapore, Shell International Trading Middle East and Glencore Singapore were among the 22 new firms on Bangladesh's list of 33 potential suppliers seen by Reuters.
Vitol Asia, Gunvor Singapore and Excelerate Energy were among the existing suppliers to remain on the list.
In November, RPGCL issued an invitation for companies to supply LNG on a spot basis.
Bangladesh imports about 100 LNG cargoes per annum, with more than 50 through direct contracts with Qatar and Oman and the rest as spot purchases from private suppliers, Khan said.
