Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - The Bangladesh government has announced discovery of new reserve of an estimated 1.0 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas in the country’s Rashidpur gas field.
The state-run Petrobangla Chairman Dr. Hussain Monsur declared the new discovery of gas in the Rashidpur gas field at a press briefing at Petrocentre in the capital Dhaka on Monday.
The newly discovered structure -- eastern flank -- of Rashidpur gas field has 967.2 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of gas reserve under low to medium risk category, he said, adding that the probability of finding gas from it is 80-90 per cent.
Besides, there are potential gas reserves of around 2.41 tcf in high risk category in the same 'eastern flank' of the Rashidpur gas field and the probability of finding gas is below 50 per cent, the petrobangla chief added.
Petrobangla announced the fresh discovery of gas following a 3D seismic survey conducted by Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (Bapex) in Rashidpur gas field spanning over an area of 325 square kilometres.
According to Petrobangla sources, Bangladesh has 12-15tcf reserve of gas.
Currently, the country has a gas supply of about 2,000mmcf per day against the demand for 2,500mmcf, leading to a severe crisis in gas-fired power generation and gas-based industrial production. The shortfall has also affected domestic consumers.
Discovered in 1960, Rashidpur field went into commercial operation two years later and so far supplied 460 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas to the national grid, according to the officials.
BBN/SSR/AD-27Sept11-11:17 am (BST)