Gas production on the wane

Three fields shut down for technical glitches

The country is facing a sudden gas crisis, as three gas fields had to be shut down due to technical glitches. Gas production has come down from 2750 mmcf (million cubic feet) to 2690 mmcf. Sources said industries are already suffering due to the crisis but the approaching winter season will make things worse for them. Of these three gas fields, Rupganj was shut down only six months after it started production. A government official said the recent discovery in Shabazpur will not benefit the general customer in any way, as it has no grid connection with the mainland.

“Some of structures that we had thought to be gas pockets are producing only water, making us stop the production. On the other hand, one of the Titas gas field’s wells has been over-drilled. That is why production was shut down,” Jameel A Aleem, director (operations) of Petrobangla, explained last week.

According to Petrobangla, the country’s oil and gas corporation, the demand for gas is 4450 mmcf. For the last few years, Petrobangla has produced 3750 mmcf of gas per day. But, in the last one month, production has faced many problems.

The official said the Titas gas field has a production capacity of 542 mmcf. But right now, it produces 531 mmcf of gas. The Salda field’s gas capacity was 10 mmcf. It has come down to 3.8 mmcf. Fenchuganj’s production capacity was 26 mmcf but it currently produces 12.3 mmcf. The Semutung field’s capacity was 3 mmcf but it has come down to 1.4 mmcf. The Sundalpur, Begumganj, and Rupganj gas fields were shut down, as they lost all their production capacity. Production is decreasing in the other government gas fields, but no new gas field has been discovered in the last 15 years. On the other hand, international oil companies (IOCs) have increased up to 65 per cent of their total production.

On 26 October, the country’s 22 gas fields produced 2690 mmcf of gas. Of that, the two IOCs produced 1638 mmcf. Not only that, US giant Chevron produces 1536 mmcf gas, which means that the maximum gas production capacity is in their hands.

The government official admitted that some inefficient officials have wasted public money by investing in Rupganj. It was discovered in 2014 and the reserve was said to be 0.43 bcf (billion cubic feet). The production of the field started on 24 March 2017. Only last week, the field started throwing up water.

The Begumganj field was discovered in 1977 and started commercial production on 3 March 2015. Recently, the field was shut down, as it lost its production capacity. The state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Co. Ltd (Bapex) has discovered a new gas reserve at Shahbazpur in Bhola district.

Cabinet secretary Shafiul Alam disclosed the news last Monday after a cabinet meeting. He announced that the reservoir is expected to hold around 700 billion cubic feet of gas. But Bapex has not yet tested it to be sure of the amount. Sources said the new reserve will be tested for the gas flow this week.

Unfortunately, Bhola is an island. “We cannot supply the gas to the customer through the pipeline, but we will be able to serve local big customers,” said Nawsadul Islam, the managing director of Bapex.

The government official said that LNG (liquefied natural gas) import could provide a short-time solution to the gas crisis. The government plans to hit the national grid with 500 mmcf LNG in March-April next year.

Gas production on the wane

Three fields shut down for technical glitches

The country is facing a sudden gas crisis, as three gas fields had to be shut down due to technical glitches. Gas production has come down from 2750 mmcf (million cubic feet) to 2690 mmcf. Sources said industries are already suffering due to the crisis but the approaching winter season will make things worse for them. Of these three gas fields, Rupganj was shut down only six months after it started production. A government official said the recent discovery in Shabazpur will not benefit the general customer in any way, as it has no grid connection with the mainland. Some of structures that we had thought to be gas pockets are producing only water, making us stop the production. On the other hand, one of the Titas gas fields wells has been over-drilled. That is why production was shut down, Jameel A Aleem, director (operations) of Petrobangla, explained last week. According to Petrobangla, the countrys oil and gas corporation, the demand for gas is 4450 mmcf. For the last few years, Petrobangla has produced 3750 mmcf of gas per day. But, in the last one month, production has faced many problems. The official said the Titas gas field has a production capacity of 542 mmcf. But right now, it produces 531 mmcf of gas. The Salda fields gas capacity was 10 mmcf. It has come down to 3.8 mmcf. Fenchuganjs production capacity was 26 mmcf but it currently produces 12.3 mmcf. The Semutung fields capacity was 3 mmcf but it has come down to 1.4 mmcf. The Sundalpur, Begumganj, and Rupganj gas fields were shut down, as they lost all their production capacity. Production is decreasing in the other government gas fields, but no new gas field has been discovered in the last 15 years. On the other hand, international oil companies (IOCs) have increased up to 65 per cent of their total production. On 26 October, the countrys 22 gas fields produced 2690 mmcf of gas. Of that, the two IOCs produced 1638 mmcf. Not only that, US giant Chevron produces 1536 mmcf gas, which means that the maximum gas production capacity is in their hands. The government official admitted that some inefficient officials have wasted public money by investing in Rupganj. It was discovered in 2014 and the reserve was said to be 0.43 bcf (billion cubic feet). The production of the field started on 24 March 2017. Only last week, the field started throwing up water. The Begumganj field was discovered in 1977 and started commercial production on 3 March 2015. Recently, the field was shut down, as it lost its production capacity. The state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Co. Ltd (Bapex) has discovered a new gas reserve at Shahbazpur in Bhola district. Cabinet secretary Shafiul Alam disclosed the news last Monday after a cabinet meeting. He announced that the reservoir is expected to hold around 700 billion cubic feet of gas. But Bapex has not yet tested it to be sure of the amount. Sources said the new reserve will be tested for the gas flow this week. Unfortunately, Bhola is an island. We cannot supply the gas to the customer through the pipeline, but we will be able to serve local big customers, said Nawsadul Islam, the managing director of Bapex. The government official said that LNG (liquefied natural gas) import could provide a short-time solution to the gas crisis. The government plans to hit the national grid with 500 mmcf LNG in March-April next year.