Authorities attention needed for Mobarakpur gas reserve

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Pabna, June 8 (UNB): Mobarakpur field in Sujanagar Upazila of the district is said to have huge gas and oil reserves which can meet the energy need of the northern region for a long time, but it fails to draw attention of the authorities concerned to tap the potentials.
Experts said German exploration company GGAG struck gas at Mobarakpur in 1980-1984 and geologists conducted surveys using 2-D methods in 2004-05 and 2008, and indicated the presence of huge gas and oil 4.5 kilometers deep into Mobarakpur village, but no rig has yet been set up there to dig well to extract the gas or oil.
According to officials, Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (Papex) also conducted a geological survey there along a 160.38-km stretch in 2004-05 and confirmed that the field has huge gas and oil reserves 4.5 km deep into the soil of Mobarakpur and recommended exploration.
Accordingly, a project, titled Mobarakpur Exploration and Well Digging Project (MEWDP), was approved in the annual development programme (ADP) of 2004-05 fiscal year, and the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec in its meeting on June 6, 2006 okayed the Tk 564 million MEWDP but the project was not implemented.
The Ecnec meeting approved the project with a condition that gas will be explored on the basis of positive results of a 2-G survey, according to the officials.
Then, they said, a follow-up survey was conducted there in February 2008 along the 160.38 km stretch using the 2-D method and the results published in December that year showed the reserves of huge gas and oil under the soil of Mobarakpur.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration & Production Company Limited (Bapex), a government-owned exploration and production company, after analising the data and information of the survey expressed the hope that huge gas and oil could be extracted from the field on commercial basis. "Even then the project failed to make any headway," said an official wishing anonymity.
After assuming office on January 7, 2009, the government gave priority to exploring gas by digging wells at Mobarakpur and revived the project approving Tk 892 million to implement it by December 2012.
But the project hit another snag as Bapex shifted the exploration site to Ghughudaha Beel in neighbouring Sathia upazila, 1.5 km northwest of Mobarakpur, building new wells digging infrastructure there citing technical reason.
Bapex is going ahead with the project by taking lands on lease, constructing roads and other infrastructures at Ghughudaha instead of Mobarakpur.
A Bapex official involved with the project told the UNB correspondent that the main work to implement the project may begin this year.
He said the project has been shifted to Ghughudaha from Mobarakpur following recommendations made by experts.
Replying to a question, he said the rigs will be brought to Ghughudaha from Sunetra Gas Field in Dhanpasha upazila of Sunamganj district to dig wells there on completion of its works at that field.
Meanwhile, gas has been oozing out of Ghughudaha Beel for the last several months which aroused curiosity among locals as well as the people of neighbouring upazilas.