EMRD reveals comprehensive plan to augment gas production

FE Team | Published: September 14, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) revealed Thursday a comprehensive plan to substantially augment gas production to meet the mounting demand for gas throughout the country.
The division segregated the plan in four segments - contingency, short term, short and midterm and long term - for successful execution of increased gas production.
"This EMRD plan will help appease the growing concern of the people and the businessmen regarding the future gas supply to the end-users," Tapan Chowdhury said.
He said strengthening of the state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (BAPEX) would also be possible with the execution of this EMRD plan.
EMRD secretary AMM Nasir Uddin disclosed the plan at a press conference in the secretariat, where Energy Adviser Tapan Chowdhury was also present.
Revealing the plan the EMRD has assured adequate gas supply to the proposed new power plants of the Power Division until 2011.
"To ensure diversifying the energy resources and reduce dependency on natural gas we have already asked the power division to utilise coal resources for generating power," the EMRD secretary said.
Talking elaborately on the comprehensive plan the EMRD secretary said under the contingency plan the EMRD will conduct online pigging in the Bakhrabad-Chittagong gas transmission pipeline by November next to augment gas supply in the Chittagong region.
"At least 15 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of additional gas could be supplied to Chittagong through the gas pipeline pigging," he said.
Re-perforation in the well number 10 of the Cairn Energy-operated country's lone offshore Sangu gas field is also planned for execution under the contingency plan by November next to enhance production by 10 mmcfd.
Execution of the contingency measures will help augment gas supply in the currently crisis-hit Chittagong region.
Under the short-term plan the EMRD will complete work over three wells - two in Bakhrabad gas field and one in Meghna - by June 2008.
Gas production amounting to 40 mmcfd is expected with these walkovers.
Besides, the division has planned to augment gas supply in the Niko-operated Feni gas field by 40 mmcfd by June next through completion of work over in two wells there.
"The existing legal binding needs to be removed for getting increased gas supply from the Feni field," the EMRD secretary pointed out.
A number of gas fields including Semutang, Begumganj, Kapasia, Shahbajpur, Srikail, Sundalpur and Saldanadi will be explored and developed by the BAPEX by June 2010 next under the short and midterm plan.
"Under the long term plan the EMRD is set to launch Bangladesh Offshore Bidding Round 2007 to initiate hydrocarbon exploration in the Bay of Bengal by October next," the EMRD secretary said.
Gas production from the new offshore gas field will be initiated by 2015 next, he hoped.
The international oil companies (IOCs) will also undertake a number of projects to augment gas production.
The Scottish Cairn Energy will explore and develop Meghnama and Hatiya gas field in the coming winter.