Anisul Islam Noor :
The government will continue to enhance the capacity of Petrobangla to help discover new oil and gas field to meet the ever growing domestic demand of energy, said Professor Hossain Monsur, Chairman of Petrobangla.
Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (BAPEX), a subsidiary of the state-owned hydrocarbon corporation Petrobangla, has discovered three new gas fields during the last and current tenure of the government, he said.
Talking to The New Nation at his office Professor Monsur said, the government has made allocation of substantial amount of funds for developing capacity of BAPEX and other subsidiary of Petrobangla to meet energy requirement of the people for economic progress.
The work of pipe line setting of 4.5 km for gas supply from Rupganj gas field to the national distribution system will be completed within a few months, he said.
However, the lone national company’s success has suffered due to lack of efficient manpower, even though the government in recent years has given good funds to BAPEX to purchase exploration and
drilling equipment. Those who develop skill working in the field, are often allured by foreign companies working in Bangladesh by offering lucrative compensation package, he said.
BAPEX has claimed to have discovered a gas field in Sunamganj-Netrakona on the basis of a study. But upon drilling, all BAPEX could get was sand, said some critics.
But Petrobangla Chairman refuting the allegation said that he has been doing everything on the basis of justification of real stock and availability of gas or oil.
In the new budget an allocation of Tk 11,540 crore to the power and energy sector has been made, a figure close to that of last year’s.
Among the new schemes, the finance minister has proposed allocation of Tk 400 crore for an ambitious plan to produce 800 megawatts of electricity by next year using renewable energy.
Only a few countries have actually gone for such a large renewable energy project as it requires a lot of land compared to conventional power plants. But if such power plants are developed that would improve the country’s energy security while delivering power to the remote areas.
Most of the new electricity will come from coal-fired plants to reduce the burden on gas-burning electricity plants.
More than a dozen, mostly large power projects, did not get any fund this year, including the Rampal 1,320MW plant to be built by the India-Bangladesh Friendship power company, it should be stated.
The construction of this plant is scheduled to begin in October-November this year by arranging international financing by the newly floated friendship company.
The government will continue to enhance the capacity of Petrobangla to help discover new oil and gas field to meet the ever growing domestic demand of energy, said Professor Hossain Monsur, Chairman of Petrobangla.
Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (BAPEX), a subsidiary of the state-owned hydrocarbon corporation Petrobangla, has discovered three new gas fields during the last and current tenure of the government, he said.
Talking to The New Nation at his office Professor Monsur said, the government has made allocation of substantial amount of funds for developing capacity of BAPEX and other subsidiary of Petrobangla to meet energy requirement of the people for economic progress.
The work of pipe line setting of 4.5 km for gas supply from Rupganj gas field to the national distribution system will be completed within a few months, he said.
However, the lone national company’s success has suffered due to lack of efficient manpower, even though the government in recent years has given good funds to BAPEX to purchase exploration and
drilling equipment. Those who develop skill working in the field, are often allured by foreign companies working in Bangladesh by offering lucrative compensation package, he said.
BAPEX has claimed to have discovered a gas field in Sunamganj-Netrakona on the basis of a study. But upon drilling, all BAPEX could get was sand, said some critics.
But Petrobangla Chairman refuting the allegation said that he has been doing everything on the basis of justification of real stock and availability of gas or oil.
In the new budget an allocation of Tk 11,540 crore to the power and energy sector has been made, a figure close to that of last year’s.
Among the new schemes, the finance minister has proposed allocation of Tk 400 crore for an ambitious plan to produce 800 megawatts of electricity by next year using renewable energy.
Only a few countries have actually gone for such a large renewable energy project as it requires a lot of land compared to conventional power plants. But if such power plants are developed that would improve the country’s energy security while delivering power to the remote areas.
Most of the new electricity will come from coal-fired plants to reduce the burden on gas-burning electricity plants.
More than a dozen, mostly large power projects, did not get any fund this year, including the Rampal 1,320MW plant to be built by the India-Bangladesh Friendship power company, it should be stated.
The construction of this plant is scheduled to begin in October-November this year by arranging international financing by the newly floated friendship company.
