Gas company begins workover of closed wells at Titas field as compressors boost output

Bangladesh Gas Field Company Limited (BGFCL) has launched a workover programme in its closed wells at the Titas Gas Field to stabilise production, after the recent installation of six wellhead compressors raised daily output but failed to reverse the long-term decline in reservoir pressure.

Gas production at the country's oldest and largest gas field has been falling due to dwindling reserves and reduced well pressure.

Although the national grid pressure is around 600 PSI, most wells at Titas can no longer deliver gas at that level, leading to continued supply constraints.

Under these circumstances, BGFCL installed six wellhead compressors—three at Location 'E' and three at Location 'G'—to increase wellhead pressure and keep production steady. The compressors went into operation about two weeks ago.

Wellhead Compressor Installation Project Director Mohammad Mamun Azad said the machines are helping maintain normal and continuous production.

Photo: TBS

"Although there was sufficient gas in those five wells, production was low due to low pressure. Now the problem is resolved," he said

Each compressor at Location 'E' has a capacity of 40 million cubic feet of gas per day, while those at Location 'G' can handle 25 million cubic feet per day.

Gas is now being extracted from wells 11, 12, 17, 18 and 27 using the new compressors, adding about 22 million cubic feet per day to the national grid compared to pre-installation production.Before the compressors were installed, the five wells jointly produced around 39 million cubic feet per day.

Alongside the compressor project, BGFCL has initiated a broader effort to address falling output through a workover of closed wells and a 3D seismic survey to identify new reserves.

BGFCL Managing Director Md Faruque Hossain said the workover programme is underway to bring closed wells back into production.

"To meet the growing demand for gas, the workover project for the closed wells in the fields managed by BGFCL is ongoing. In addition, a 3D seismic survey has been undertaken to search for new gas reserves," he said.

The survey will cover 1,450 square kilometres across the Habiganj, Bakhrabad and Meghna gas fields.

Photo: TBS

"Through the survey, we will know if there are any new reserves and their quantity.

After receiving the survey report, initiatives will be taken to drill new wells," he added.

BGFCL operates the Titas, Habiganj, Bakhrabad, Meghna, Kamta and Narsingdi gas fields. Titas, discovered in 1962 by Shell Oil Company of Pakistan, is the largest among them.

Of its 27 wells, 22 are in production, supplying about 335 million cubic feet of gas per day to the national grid. The remaining five wells are closed.

According to the latest survey, the Titas field holds around 2 trillion cubic feet of gas.

However, prolonged extraction has depleted the reservoirs and reduced pressure across the wells.

As a result, the wells can no longer deliver gas at their full capacity, and matching output with the national grid's pressure has become difficult—an issue that has persisted for several years, according to officials.

Installation of the six compressors, costing Tk561 crore, began in February last year and was funded entirely by BGFCL. Three compressors were set up at Brahmanbaria Sadar's Location 'E', and three at Khatihata's Location 'G'.

When well pressure declines, gas is channelled into the compressor unit where the pressure is increased to match grid requirements, enabling steady extraction and supply.

The field is also producing around 36 barrels of condensate per day from the two compressor locations.

With reservoir pressure continuing to fall, BGFCL hopes the combination of compressor-assisted production, well workovers and new exploration will help stabilise output from its ageing fields.