Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) on Sunday found a new gas layer at a well in the Kailashtila gas field in the country’s north-eastern Sylhet district, officials said.
“We’ve confirmed today (Sunday) that there is a new gas layer in the well,” Bapex Managing Director Mortuza Ahmad Faruque reportedly said, adding that there were three gas zones in the well No 4 of the gas field.
A new layer has been identified between upper and middle layers of the well today at a depth of 2,722 metre, he added.
The new zone of the well would add about 20 million cubic feet of gas per day, Bapex managing director said adding that it would take 10 to 12 days to go for commercial production and thus inclusion to the national grid.
Gas production at the well was suspended for several months and the new zone has been detected following a 3D-seismic survey and work-over.
There are six wells in Koilashtila from where about 90 mmcfd gas was produced at present.
The Bapex, a wholly owned subsidiary of the state-owned Petrobangla, also discovered two new gas-fields — Sundalpur in August 2011 and Srikail in July 2012.
Natural gas production from Sundalpur has already started, and production from Srikail will start by December 2012.
To augment natural gas supply in the long-run, the Bapex has also planned to drill a total of 39 exploratory wells, 35 development wells and work-over 70 wells by 2030, the Bapex officials said.
It will also conduct 2D seismic surveys in a dozen of structures and 3D surveys in a couple of dozen more fields in next 18 years, they added.
Besides, the government has planned to reserve some shallow offshore areas for future exploration by the Bapex.
It has also planned to offer 10 per cent “carried” interest stakes in all the offshore gas blocks, planned to offer to the company.
The country’s natural gas output currently hovers around 2,240 mmcfd against the demand for 2,700-3,000 mmcfd.
BBN/SSR/AD-19Aug12-3:00 pm (BST)
