Transmission snags thwart Chevron bid to extract gas from two fields
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
M Azizur Rahman
Gas transmission constraints are hampering gas extraction from two US-based Chevron operated gas fields in the northeastern Sylhet region, a top official said Monday.
The US firm is producing around 85 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) less gas than its capacity at two onshore gas fields -- Jalalabad and Moulvi Bazar under Block 13 and Block 14 respectively, he said.
Chevron is, however, producing around 150 mmcfd of additional gas from its Bibiyana gas field in Sylhet region under Block 12, the official said.
Jalalabad and Moulvi Bazar gas fields are now producing around 180 mmcfd and 40 mmcfd of gas from four gas wells in each field against their official capacity to lift 230 mmcfd and 75 mmcfd of gas respectively.
Besides, Chevron has recently drilled three new wells at Moulvi Bazar gas field, with which it has planned to enhance the field's gas production capacity by 30 mmcfd more, a senior Petrobangla official said.
Chevron completed drilling three new wells - MB-7, MB-8 and MB-9 -in November 2011.
When contacted, Petrobangla Chairman Dr Hussain Monsur said a compression station at Muchai in the gas transmission pipeline would help extracting the additional gas.
The construction of the compression station has almost been completed and is expected to support additional gas production from March, when commercial operation is expected to start, he added.
Meanwhile, Chevron is producing around 150 mmcfd of additional gas compared to the official capacity at its Bibiyana gas field having sufficient 'evacuation capacity', said the Petrobangla official.
Around 750 mmcfd of gas is being supplied from Bibiyana field, located in the northeastern region under Block 12 area, against the official production capacity of 600 mmcfd, he added.
Chevron is supplying additional gas from Bibiyana as it has been asked to do so by Petrobangla, the official said.
A Chevron official said the US firm was now conducting additional drilling programmes at Bibiyana gas field, where it has planned to drill some 10 wells.
Chevron is aiming to raise its output in Bangladesh by at least 500 mmcfd by 2012 in line with the target set for it by state-owned Petrobangla.
The government is constructing a gas transmission pipeline to extract the additional gas from the Bibiyana field, he added.
Two more compression stations are also being built at Elenga and Ashuganj to facilitate gas flow from the Chevron-operated fields.
Chevron is now the largest international oil company (IOC) operating in Bangladesh, with average gas output of around 978 mmcfd from three gas fields, accounting for 47 per cent of the country's total output of around 2,060 mmcfd.
Two other operational IOCs - Australian Santos and Irish Tullow - are supplying around 110 mmcfd of gas in total from two gas fields.
Santos is now supplying around 9.0 mmcfd of gas from the country's lone operational offshore gas field at Sangu, while Tullow is supplying around 101 mmcfd of gas from onshore Bangura gas field.
Another IOC - US-based ConocoPhillips - has moved to conduct 2D seismic survey of two deep-water gas blocks in the Bay of Bengal.
The government has recently decided to launch a new bidding round for eight shallow water gas blocks by April next to involve more IOCs in hydrocarbon exploration.
The country's overall gas production is now hovering around 2,060 mmcfd against the demand for over 2,500 mmcfd.
Gas supply shortfall has pushed Petrobangla to suspend new gas connections to industries since June 2009 and households since July 2010.
Gas rationing in industries is rampant and CNG filling stations are maintaining a four-hour closure every day.
Gas transmission constraints are hampering gas extraction from two US-based Chevron operated gas fields in the northeastern Sylhet region, a top official said Monday.
The US firm is producing around 85 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) less gas than its capacity at two onshore gas fields -- Jalalabad and Moulvi Bazar under Block 13 and Block 14 respectively, he said.
Chevron is, however, producing around 150 mmcfd of additional gas from its Bibiyana gas field in Sylhet region under Block 12, the official said.
Jalalabad and Moulvi Bazar gas fields are now producing around 180 mmcfd and 40 mmcfd of gas from four gas wells in each field against their official capacity to lift 230 mmcfd and 75 mmcfd of gas respectively.
Besides, Chevron has recently drilled three new wells at Moulvi Bazar gas field, with which it has planned to enhance the field's gas production capacity by 30 mmcfd more, a senior Petrobangla official said.
Chevron completed drilling three new wells - MB-7, MB-8 and MB-9 -in November 2011.
When contacted, Petrobangla Chairman Dr Hussain Monsur said a compression station at Muchai in the gas transmission pipeline would help extracting the additional gas.
The construction of the compression station has almost been completed and is expected to support additional gas production from March, when commercial operation is expected to start, he added.
Meanwhile, Chevron is producing around 150 mmcfd of additional gas compared to the official capacity at its Bibiyana gas field having sufficient 'evacuation capacity', said the Petrobangla official.
Around 750 mmcfd of gas is being supplied from Bibiyana field, located in the northeastern region under Block 12 area, against the official production capacity of 600 mmcfd, he added.
Chevron is supplying additional gas from Bibiyana as it has been asked to do so by Petrobangla, the official said.
A Chevron official said the US firm was now conducting additional drilling programmes at Bibiyana gas field, where it has planned to drill some 10 wells.
Chevron is aiming to raise its output in Bangladesh by at least 500 mmcfd by 2012 in line with the target set for it by state-owned Petrobangla.
The government is constructing a gas transmission pipeline to extract the additional gas from the Bibiyana field, he added.
Two more compression stations are also being built at Elenga and Ashuganj to facilitate gas flow from the Chevron-operated fields.
Chevron is now the largest international oil company (IOC) operating in Bangladesh, with average gas output of around 978 mmcfd from three gas fields, accounting for 47 per cent of the country's total output of around 2,060 mmcfd.
Two other operational IOCs - Australian Santos and Irish Tullow - are supplying around 110 mmcfd of gas in total from two gas fields.
Santos is now supplying around 9.0 mmcfd of gas from the country's lone operational offshore gas field at Sangu, while Tullow is supplying around 101 mmcfd of gas from onshore Bangura gas field.
Another IOC - US-based ConocoPhillips - has moved to conduct 2D seismic survey of two deep-water gas blocks in the Bay of Bengal.
The government has recently decided to launch a new bidding round for eight shallow water gas blocks by April next to involve more IOCs in hydrocarbon exploration.
The country's overall gas production is now hovering around 2,060 mmcfd against the demand for over 2,500 mmcfd.
Gas supply shortfall has pushed Petrobangla to suspend new gas connections to industries since June 2009 and households since July 2010.
Gas rationing in industries is rampant and CNG filling stations are maintaining a four-hour closure every day.