Govt moves to drill 2 deep exploratory wells at Titas, Bakhrabad fields

Highlights: 

• The project is estimated to cost Tk798 crore
• Upon completion, it will add 25 million cubic feet of gas daily to national grid
• Finance Division will ensure necessary allocation against the project

The government has initiated a big move to drill two deep exploratory wells at Titas and Bakhrabad Gas fields in the country to ascertain the presence of gas reserve in these two vital fields.

Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Limited, a company of Petrobangla, under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, has framed a draft project in this regard titled "Drilling of Two Deep Exploratory Wells at Titas and Bakhrabad Fields" with an estimated cost of Tk798 crore to be completed by June 2027.

Of the total project cost, Tk558.60 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh while the rest Tk239.40 crore from the concerned organisation's own fund.

The project will be implemented at Brahmanbaria Sadar upzaila under Brahmanbaria district and Muradnagar upazila under Cumilla district.

The draft project is likely to be placed before the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) tomorrow.

Ecnec Chairperson and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will preside over the meeting to be held at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

Talking to BSS, a Planning Commission official said the main objectives of the project are to drill two deep exploratory wells at 5,600 meter deep of Titas well structure and 4,360 meter deep of Bakhrabad well structure to ascertain the presence of potential gas reserve which could be extracted.

"The project has been framed following recommendations from the technical committee and consulting firms formed by the BGFCL to ensure about the potential gas reserve," he added.

If everything goes in the right direction, the official informed that once the project is completed, around 15 million cubic feet gas could be added to the national grid daily through drilling a new well at Titas Gas Field while another 10 million cubic feet gas could be added to the national grid daily through drilling a new well at Bakhrabad Gas Field.

The main project operations include drilling two deep exploratory wells at Titas and Bakhrabad Gas Fields, conducting 3rd party engineering works, appointing foreign consultants for constructing rig foundation and integrated drilling works.

Besides, a 5.5-kilometre-long gas gathering pipeline will also be erected.

The Planning Commission official also informed that since the project is important considering state importance, the Finance Division would ensure necessary allocation against the project.

Besides, the necessary procurement plans under the project have been finalised in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2006 and the Public Procurement Rules, 2008.

The financial and economic analysis of the draft project was carried out and reviewed by the Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC).