Srikail-5 well to supply 8 mmcfd daily to national grid: Minister
The gas field is expected to yield a significant amount of gas over the next 10 years.
State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit today (14 March) said the Srikail-5 well in Cumilla will be able to supply an average of around 8 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd) to the national grid.
He added that the gas field is expected to yield a significant amount of gas over the next 10 years, with an estimated current market value of about Tk6,832 crore.
If this gas had to be imported, it would have placed considerable pressure on the country's foreign currency reserves, he noted.
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The state minister made the remarks while addressing the inauguration ceremony as the chief guest for supplying gas discovered from Bapex's Srikail-5 appraisal and development well to the national grid at Srikail in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla.
Amit emphasized that transparency and accountability will be ensured in every activity in the energy sector so that citizens can understand how their resources are being extracted and utilized.
He pointed out that the global energy market is currently facing instability, with many countries encountering supply challenges due to the crisis in the Middle East. In such a situation, the addition of new gas from a domestic field to the national grid is very encouraging news for Bangladesh.
The state minister noted that gas extraction from the well has been made possible through the relentless efforts of skilled engineers and officials of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex).
He expressed hope that their expertise and capability would further increase gas supply to the national grid in the future.
Amit said that, according to the government's plan, gas supply to the national grid will be gradually increased.
The government is currently working with a target of adding 82 million cubic feet of gas to the national grid in the coming years. He added that this is not merely a plan but part of a realistic action programme.
He further stated that the government is working to reduce dependence on imported energy and achieve self-reliance in the sector by utilizing domestic resources.
The state minister informed that the country's gas demand may reach around 4,500 million cubic feet per day within the next five years.
The government plans to meet a large portion of this demand through domestic production.
He expressed hope that, through the combined efforts of Bapex, Petrobangla, and the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, Bangladesh will achieve significant self-reliance in the energy sector within the next five years.
