Big gas reserve between Jamalpur and Shariatpur, hopes Energy Ministry

Energy Ministry sees a new prospect of a big gas zone between Jamalpur and Shariatpur districts and plans to go for drilling work very soon.
"We are set to start 3,000 km seismic line survey there. The primary report is positive. However, if the 2-D seismic survey confirms the result, it would substantially add to the country's natural gas resources," senior secretary of the Energy Division  Anisur Rahman said.
According to the report this new field would be a 60 sq-km area under Block No. 8 that was given to Bapex, the state-owned petroleum exploration and production company. Two exploratory wells would be drilled there.
"We plan to go for drilling at Srikail and Shariatpur by this year, however, Srikail could give us 10 mmcfd gas per day for next 15 years, we hope the Shariatpur would give us a huge gas like Bhola,"     Energy Division secretary said. If everything goes on right track than it will be the 27th natural gas field in the country.
Sinopec, a Chinese energy exploration company carried out the survey in Shariatpur. Sinopec has found onshore natural gas prospect at Shariatpur after a 2D seismic survey. Drilling of exploratory wells at Shariatpur is required to spot and assess whether gas reserves there will be commercially viable or not.
BAPEX discovered four onshore gas fields in last one decade, however, the total recoverable reserves of these fields include Bhola North, Rupganj, Srikail and Sundalpur are around 800 billion cubic feet (Bcf).
"Now we see the gas reserve at Bhola is increasing as we found new layers there, the structure of Shariatpur and Bhola is alike, so we are hopeful to get a good prospect there," Anisur Rahman said.
According to geologists, Bangladesh's onshore areas are still potential and Petrobangla needs to go for massive drilling to increase gas production, but the Energy Ministry is reluctant.
"We could find out more gas in onshore areas, we need to use the unconventional method here to meeting our primary energy demand," Dr Anwar Hossain Bhuiyun, professor of DU Geology department, said.
Petrobangla said the demand of gas stands at 3250 mmcf per day and country's 25 gas fields are producing around 2,548 mmcf of gas and 598 mmcf of gas is coming from LNG import.
 The government has also a plan to conduct 3000km (2D) seismic survey in greater Chattogram to explore oil and gas in Sitakunda, Chittagong hill districts and Cox's Bazar, according to him.