Gas crisis to ease by 2012
Says PM's energy adviser
Increasing gas production in different fields is likely to ease the country's ongoing gas crisis by the end of 2012, said prime minister's (PM's) energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury yesterday.
He said around 200 million cubic feet (mmcf) of gas per day would be added to the national grid by 2011 though major relief is not possible within the next four to five months.
Presently there is a crisis of 400 to 500 mmcf of gas per day resulting in low power generation and industrial production, as these are dependent on gas. The total consumption in the country is presently 2,000 mmcf of gas per day.
Tawfiq told this to journalists after attending a roundtable discussion on challenges in the gas sector and role of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) at Cirdap auditorium in the city. It was organised by Energy and Power, an energy magazine, in cooperation with GTZ.
He said the present government is very sincere on strengthening Bapex. A new rig is being bought for Bapex and Tk 1,700 crore is being approved for 13 of its projects, he added.
Tawfiq said steps would be taken to recruit efficient manpower to the state-owned gas companies to improve their capabilities.
He said the government is planning to conduct exploration in the Shalda and Chittagong Hill Tracts area while prioritising increase of gas supply to Chittagong.
Negotiations with ConocoPhillips, a US company, are at the end and hopes are that work will start within one month in this regard, the adviser said.
Petrobangla Chairman Prof Dr Hossain Mansur however said the country's present gas crisis will be over by 2012 and there would be a surplus of 500 mmcf of gas from then on.
Speaking at the roundtable, Hossain said Bapex completed six work-overs in the past one year, which is very significant.
Four rigs of Bapex are running simultaneously which is historic even for Bapex itself, said Hossain.
The work-over of transmission of Titas is at its end and hopefully an additional 10 to 15 mmcf of gas will be added to the national grid within the next week.
Presenting the keynote paper at the roundtable, Bapex Managing Director Mortuza Ahmed Haque suggested in increasing fund, separate pay scale for the staffs and officials of Bapex and training Bapex officials to strengthen it.
Editor of the magazine Mollah Amzad Hossain moderated the meeting. Former state minister for power, energy and mineral resources AKM Mosharraf Hossain and Buet Prof Dr Izaz Hossain also spoke at the meeting.
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