New gas well found in Noakhali

Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) has discovered gas in a new exploration well in Companiganj upazila of Noakhali, with the well holding an estimated 97.69 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of gas and the potential to supply 10 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) to the national grid.

The discovery was confirmed through gas ignition at the Sundalpur South-1 exploration well in Rampur union on Monday (November 2).

Bapex said drilling of the well began on July 8 under an initiative of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, based on a three-dimensional seismic survey conducted by the state-owned company.

Using its own Bijoy-10 drilling rig, Bapex drilled the well to a depth of 3,289 metres over around three and a half months. Subsequent tests detected gas in two separate zones.

According to Bapex, the two zones contain an estimated 97.69 Bcf of gas, valued at around Tk5,809 crore at current consumer-level market prices.

Project Director Mohammad Mozammel Haque said further details about the presence of oil or other minerals would be available after 15 days of close monitoring and a drill stem test (DST).

-AH