Padma Oil starts jet fuel supply to Ctg airport through pipeline
This is the first pipeline in the country to supply jet fuel to an airport, officials say
Padma Oil Company Limited has begun supplying jet fuel to Shah Amanat International Airport and the Bangladesh Air Force's BAF Zahurul Haque Base in Chattogram through a newly built 5.77-kilometre pipeline, the first of its kind in Bangladesh.
Energy Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam inaugurated the facility today (23 September) as chief guest at a ceremony chaired by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Chairman Md Amin Ul Ahsan.
Air Vice Marshal Haider Abdullah of the Bangladesh Air Force, BPC Director AKM Azadur Rahman, and Airport Director Group Captain Sheikh Abdullah Al-Mamun were present as special guests.
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Padma Oil Managing Director Md Mofizur Rahman and Project Director Anup Kumar Barua also spoke.
"This is the first pipeline in the country to supply jet fuel to an airport," Saiful Islam said.
He noted that the Tk170 crore project, fully funded by Padma Oil, was completed ahead of schedule and Tk10 crore under budget.
"The system will save time, reduce costs, and strengthen energy security," he added.
BPC Chairman Amin Ul Ahsan said a similar pipeline to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka is in the works.
"The feasibility study is complete and the proposal has been sent to the Planning Commission. We hope to start construction soon," he said.
According to project officials, Shah Amanat Airport requires an average of 200,000–250,000 litres of jet fuel daily, rising to around 300,000 litres during the Hajj season.
Previously, fuel was transported by tanker trucks, requiring 15–20 trips and up to 24 hours for each delivery. The new pipeline can deliver the same volume in about 90 minutes and is expected to save at least Tk2.5 crore annually.
Construction of the 8-inch diameter line, fitted with modern monitoring systems and capable of carrying 140 cubic metres of jet fuel per hour, began on 19 December 2023 and cost Tk160 crore.
A trial run on 10 and 11 September successfully pumped 350,000 litres of fuel.
Earlier, 10 to 15 workers were needed to transport fuel, but the system now requires only one operator using computer controls.
Shah Amanat International Airport, the country's second largest, handles more than 20,000 domestic and international flights annually, carrying at least 1.7 million passengers.
Padma Oil supplies all its jet fuel, and the new pipeline is expected to ensure safer, faster, and more efficient deliveries.
