The government has started providing new gas connections to industries only within the existing pipeline networks and in phases considering available gas pressure and load without affecting the existing consumers, said officials.
A special committee for gas connections, headed by PM's adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, conditionally approved last week a total of 354 applications for gas connections to new industries and increase in gas load of the existing ones, they said. Of the total approval, 163 are for getting new gas connections and 191 for increasing their existing gas load capacities.
If any industry, among approved applicants, are found using gas illegally, it would not be provided new gas connections, according to the decision of the committee.
Compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations and captive power plants would also not get new gas connections. The industries must be efficient in energy use and maintain energy conservation to get new gas connected to their industries.
"Not all the approved applicants are getting new gas connections at a time as many issues like laying of pipelines, checking of gas pressure and necessary load require resolution first," Petrobangla chairman Istiaque Ahmad told the FE.
He said the state-run gas distribution and marketing companies have already been asked to start providing new gas connections to industries and increase gas load in line with the decision of the special committee. Around 120 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of natural gas would be required to provide new connections and increase load of the approved industrial applicants, a senior Petrobangla official said.
The decision to provide new gas connections came following continuous protests from business people and amid overall increase in natural gas production in the the country.
Earlier in December 2013, a few days before the last national polls, the committee had approved 82 applications for fresh industrial connection and two for increasing gas flow to two factories.
Around 2,000 applications are still pending with six state-run natural gas distribution and marketing companies -- Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd, Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Limited, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Ltd, Pashchimanchal Gas Company Ltd, Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Ltd and Sundarban Gas Company Ltd - for new connections and sanctioning new load.
The committee in January 2011 had started giving approval for new gas connections to industries after suspending it in July 2009.
mazizur.rahman@outlook.com
Boosted by an increase of more than 300 mmcfd of natural gas from the US's Chevron-operated Bibiyana gas field over the past one year, the country's overall natural gas production is currently hovering around 2,700 mmcfd against the demand for over 3,200 mmcfd.
