Two local cos to develop six gas wells by 2013

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FHM Humayan Kabir
Two local energy companies would develop six gas wells at Titas and Rashidpur fields under the government's 'first track programme' aimed at boosting production by 130 million cubic feet within 2012-13 fiscal, officials said Thursday.
Petrobangla officials said Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Ltd (BGFCL) and Sylhet Gas Fields Ltd (SGFL) would invest Tk 7.65 billion under the 'first track programme' for boosting production and ascertaining actual reserves in the aging fields.
The state-owned companies would develop four wells at Titas and two at Rashidpur gas fields which are expected to supply an additional 130-135 mcf of gas per day to the national grid by June 2013, a senior Petrobangla official told the FE.
"BGFCL will work at well No. 19 to 22 at Titas gas field and the SGFL will work on well No. 5 and develop well No. 8 at Rashidpur field to enhance the gas production," he said.
The companies would start well development works from late this year and are expected to produce the additional 130-135 mcf of gas from June 2013, said the official.
Gas supply from the two major fields would give a relief to the government as the country has been passing through severe energy crisis due to inadequate production against growing demands.
State-run energy corporation Petrobangla said the seventeen gas fields now in operation supply nearly 1980 mcf of gas per day against the demand for over 2200 mcf in the country.
Bangladesh's 6.0 per cent economic growth over the last eight years has been creating more gas demand as hundreds of gas-based industries are being set up every year.
The Petrobangla official said the state-run BGFCL would invest Tk 6.45 billion for developing four gas wells, installing two process plants and conducting three-dimensional survey for ascertaining the dispersion of the gas structure under the 'first track' programme.
Titas gas field in Brahmanbaria is supplying 406 mcf of gas per day from its 14 wells to the national grid.
According to Petrobangla, Titas is the largest field in the country with its total recoverable reserve of 5.13 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas followed by Habiganj's 3.85 tcf, Bibiyana's 2.4 tcf, Kailastila's 1.9 tcf, and Rashidpur's 1.4 tcf reserves.
Another state-run gas entity SGFL would invest Tk 1.20 billion for developing two gas wells in Rashidpur field, where some 30-35 mcf extra gas is expected to be lifted by FY2013, the Petrobangla official added.
Rashidpur gas field is now producing 50 mcf of gas per day from its five wells, Petrobangla said.