bd EnergY LinK

Although the country is going to have an additional supply of about 600 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMCFD ) in next 2-3 years, which is badly needed for an energy-starved nation, there is no specific or strategic plan in sight yet for utilizing this new find.

Sources said the additional gas supply is set to come from the country’s second- largest gas field, Bibiyana, in the wake of a desperate search for the fossil fuel as many cookers go dry, wheels of many industries often come to a halt

After a survey into the Bibiyana gas field, its operator US-based international oil company Chevron recently determined a greater reserve in the field and placed a plan for doubling its production from the present level of around 600 MMCFD gas.

The survey report on the gas field indicated a larger reserve structure of 7.43 trillion cubic feet (TCF), which includes proven plus probable. The recoverable reserve is estimated to be 5.76 TCF, also more than double the previous estimate.

Officials at the state-owned Petrobangla believe that if the Chevron moves immediately, it should not take more than 2-3 years time to enhance the production from the hydrocarbon field.

The country produces about 1,900 MMCFD gas against an officially admited demand for 2,200 MMCFD. However, many believe that the demand is much higher, but it’s always kept scaled-down.

For gas shortages, country’s power, fertilizer and industries are on the verse of collapse. The power department alone has to reduce power generation by 770 MW while a number of fertilizer factories remained closed for gas crisis-though both the items are essential for people’ s survival and economic growth.

Many industries either have to scale down production or completely shout down operations. Household consumers’ sufferings beggar description as they find no way but to stop cooking when gas is not available in the supply line.

In such a situation, Bibiyana’s new reserve came out to be very good news for consumers as they started sensing a relief from the crisis. But, so far, no plans are visible from the government side as to how it would utilize the new gas.

Only the Power and Energy Ministry is contemplating installing two large power plants, each having 450-MW capacity, at the Bibiyana gas-field site and building a pipeline from Bakhrabad to Siddhirganj. These two plants will consume a total of about 140 MMCFD gas while 460 MMCFD gas will remain unutilized. The crisis-ridden other sectors could be fed with the remaining gas.

But there is no strategic plan as to how much of the new gas to be supplied to what industries and what sectors should get the priority. Experts in energy sector feel that the government should set out a priority list to provide gas supply and then make a plan to serve the gas. But, after this strategic planning, the main challenge will be the construction of pipeline to transport the new gas to feed the prioritized consumers.

At present, despite excess gas production in some of the fields, the government is not able to deliver gas to consumers in many places across the country because of pipeline-limitations.

When contacted, Petrobangla Chairman Dr. Hossain Mansur said that his organization is in the stage of discussion in preparing a plan to utilize the new gas struck in the Bibiyana field.

“We need to install a similar-capacity pipeline beside the existing one to transport the gas from Bibiyana field. We’re now discussing different aspects of the proposed pipeline,” he told UNB.

Experts in the energy sector expect prompt move from the government side, as such, saying that there should be immediately move for strategic planning to utilize the additional gas and simultaneously take up projects to construct pipelines to carry the fuel.

“If someone is told to produce more gas, but if there is no strategic plan to carry and utilize that gas, then it would be great stupidity,” said former energy adviser and BUET professor Dr. M Tamim.

“If there is delay, then the new gas will have no use despite our huge gas crisis,” he told the news agency.