The state-owned gas exploration company BAPEX is failing to utilise its nearly one trillion cubic feet of gas reserve from the Shahbazpur field in Bhola due to lack of consumers although two wells are ready to go into commercial operation, an official said.
"We've developed two wells at the field for gas production. But we have so far failed to supply gas as there are no consumers," chairman of the Petrobangla Jalal Ahmed said Saturday.
"About eight years ago, the Power Development Board (PDB) sought gas from the Shahbajpur gas field for their proposed 150 megawatt (MW) gas-fired power plant in Bhola. So, we have developed the first well, having a capacity of 20 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD). But the power plant is yet to be set up," he said.
"Gas reserves in the field were discovered in 1995. As there are no consumers, we have developed the wells slowly," Jalal Ahmed said.
The Petrobangla did not install gas transmission lines from the gas field to areas outside Bhola as it will not be viable for pipe lines to be set up across a number of rivers encircling the island.
The state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (BAPEX) discovered the Shahbazpur gas field in Bhola district in 1995. Then it has successfully developed the first well a few years back and second one in June this year.
The gas field has an expected reserve of nearly 1.0 trillion cubic feet of gas (TCF). The developed two wells together have a capacity of supplying 40 MMCFD.
"We've developed two wells for gas production but we are not being able to start supplying as there are no consumers in the area," project director of the gas field and general manager (drilling) of BAPEX Amzad Hossain said.
Maqbul-E-Elahi, Director (mines and minerals) of Petrobangla said: "The government should encourage the private sector for setting up different industries, which uses the gas."
The country has a shortage of about 100MMCFD as the state-owned oil, gas and mineral corporation -Petrobangla-- supplies about 1730MMCF to the consumers against the demand for over 1800MMCFD.
The state-owned gas distributing companies have already stopped gas connection to the new consumers in some areas in the country due to shortage of supply.
