It is good news that state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) has discovered the existence of gas in an agricultural land in Anandapur village of Zakiganj municipality in Sylhet. Reportedly, it found the presence of gas at around 2,872 metres depth from the surface while drilling an exploratory well there.
We think that the fresh discovery of gas reserve will play a crucial role in reinforcing the capacity of our energy sector as the reserve of natural gas is declining gradually. We are told that the newly discovered gas field would produce 10mmcfd gas daily. The gas field has a reserve of 68bcf of gas. The government plans to drill three wells in coming days at the newly discovered field.
Necessary steps should be taken to
equip Bapex with efficient manpower
and modern technology
We appreciate that the Bapex is accelerating the oil and gas exploration and production activities of country. According to the government’s power system master plan, Bangladesh will require 3,150 mmcfd of gas per day for power generation in 2041. But the country’s overall natural gas output is currently hovering around 2,700 mmcfd including re-gasified imported LNG to the tune of around 450 mmcfd. Of the total natural gas output, Bapex is supplying around 144 mmcfd of gas from its six operating gas fields against their cumulative production capacity of 145 mmcfd. As per the plan, Bapex took an initiative to dig two wells to explore for gas between 2019 and 2021; 13 wells between 2022 and 2030 and 20 wells between 2031 and 2041.
The government will have to continue its efforts to turn Bapex into an international standard one in gas exploration, extraction and production. Besides, Bapex’s capacity will also have to be strengthened and enhanced in a planned way.
The state-run organisation need to be modernised in gas production, drilling, work-over, rig scheduling, exploration (geophysical and geological), organisational structure and manpower recruitment. Therefore, if we can equip Bapex with efficient manpower and modern technology, Bangladesh would not have to depend on foreign companies for oil and gas exploration in the country.