Buying petroleum products and LPG in Bangladesh
Bangladesh refines crude oil at Chattogram (Chittagong), fractionates condensate from its gas fields, bottles imported LPG and blends lubricants from imported base oils, while most fuels are imported and distributed by the state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC). Importers abroad buy naphtha and, where supply and export permission allow, other products. At home, power plants, factories in Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chattogram, fleets, hotels and LPG distributors buy fuel and oil.
A petroleum product supplier in Bangladesh sells against a specification, and quality and quantity are proved by tests and measurement. Roptan turns your requirement into one specification with test methods, sources from verified, licensed sellers, checks independent certificates of quality and quantity for each lot, and arranges delivery by road tanker, drum, cylinder or vessel. You deal with Roptan only, or post the requirement on our board.
What to send a petroleum product supplier in Bangladesh
- Product and specification
- Name the product and the standard or contract specification, such as ASTM D1835 for LPG, with limits for each property and the test method, ASTM, ISO or IP, that settles disputes.
- Quantity basis and tolerance
- State whether you buy in tonnes or litres, with volumes corrected to 15 °C, the tolerance allowed, and who carries losses in transit.
- Sampling and inspection
- Name an independent inspector for quantity and quality at loading, how samples are drawn and sealed, which lab tests them and how long retained samples are kept.
- Delivery mode and storage
- Road tanker, coastal tanker, ISO tank, 200 or 208 litre drums, IBCs or cylinders. Give the delivery point, unloading facility, storage tank size and its licence.
- Licences at your end
- Petroleum and LPG storage above set quantities needs a Department of Explosives licence; check yours covers the product and volume before ordering.
- Heat and humidity
- Heat raises vapour pressure and evaporation losses, and humid air brings water into tanks and drums. Specify tank venting, water drain-off and sealed drums.
Specifications, test methods and licences
- ASTM D1835
- Specification for liquefied petroleum gases: commercial propane, commercial butane and their mixtures, with vapour pressure, residue, sulphur and copper strip corrosion limits. Ask for a certificate of analysis against it.
- ISO 8217, EN 590 and ASTM D975
- Marine fuels, often used to define heavy fuel oil grades such as RMG 380, and the European and US diesel specifications. Ask for results against each limit.
- SAE J300, API categories and ISO 3448
- Engine oil viscosity grades such as 15W-40, the API service categories for engine oil performance, and ISO VG grades for industrial oils.
- Department of Explosives licence
- The licence for petroleum and LPG storage in Bangladesh; its approved layout fixes tank sizes and spacing. We check the seller's licence for the product and site.
- Certificate of quality and quantity
- Issued per lot at loading by an independent inspector from a sealed sample and tank, meter or weight measurement. Payment usually rests on it.
Lead times and delivery
Packed lubricants, bottled LPG and diesel through dealers often arrive within days; bulk road tanker deliveries take a few days to two weeks, and blended lubricants 1 to 4 weeks. Export parcels depend on availability, export permission, inspection and vessel nomination, often 3 to 6 weeks from contract to loading. Roptan confirms dates and any minimum quantity in the quote.
Inside Bangladesh we arrange delivery by licensed road tanker, cylinder truck or drum lorry to factories, power plants and depots, with quantity measured by meter, tank dip or weighbridge and seals checked on arrival. Bulk tanks are filled only where the site holds the right licence. You receive the delivery note, the certificate of quality, the safety data sheet and a VAT invoice (Mushak 6.3).
Buying petroleum products and LPG for export
For importers we quote FOB Chattogram or Mongla for vessel parcels, and ISO tank containers, drums or IBCs for lubricants and smaller lots. We first confirm the seller holds the product and any export permission it needs. An independent inspector issues certificates of quality and quantity at loading. Documents: commercial invoice, bill of lading, certificate of origin, certificates of quality and quantity, safety data sheet and dangerous goods declaration. Payment is usually by letter of credit.
Questions buyers ask
How is quantity measured for bulk fuel deliveries?
By meter, tank dip or weighbridge, then corrected to 15 °C with the ASTM D1250 tables, since volume changes with temperature. For vessel parcels, an independent inspector gauges shore tanks and the ship's tanks. Agree which figure is final, and the loss tolerance, before loading, and check seals on arrival.
What should an LPG specification and delivery include?
The propane and butane ratio, vapour pressure, residue, sulphur, copper strip corrosion and odorant, with test methods to ASTM D1835 or your national standard. For cylinders, add size, valve type, test date and filling weight tolerance, and weigh samples on delivery.
Which furnace oil grade suits a boiler or power plant engine?
The one its burner or engine maker specifies, usually by viscosity at 50 °C, such as 180 or 380 cSt, with sulphur, density and ignition quality limits. Heavier grades need heated tanks and lines to pump and atomise. Ask for test results against each limit for every lot.
How can I tell if a lubricant meets its stated grade?
Test it against the data sheet: kinematic viscosity at 40 and 100 °C, viscosity index, flash point, pour point and, for engine oils, base number. For branded oil, buy through an authorised distributor; for large orders we have a sample tested at an independent lab.
How are export prices for naphtha set, and is supply available?
Usually as a published benchmark plus or minus a premium, averaged over a pricing period around loading. Availability depends on current production, export permission and the seller's allocation, which change over time. Tell us the grade, quantity, loading window and discharge port, and we confirm availability and inspection before quoting.
How soon will I hear back about petroleum products and LPG?
Within 48 hours of a complete requirement, with a price and a delivery date. A requirement is complete when it has the quantity, where it is needed and by when.
Who do I deal with?
With Roptan, when Roptan manages the order: we buy from the verified seller and deliver to you. With the supplier directly, when you post on the requirement board and choose a quote yourself.
