Huge quantity of gas in Sunetra field: Bapex survey

FT ONLINE

Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration & Production Company Limited (Bapex) has found a viable quantity of gas in Sunetra gas field after carrying out a three-dimensional survey there.

According to sources, the gas level spans across parts of Sunamganj and Netrokona districts. The gas field’s name- Sunetra, is an amalgam of the names of above mentioned districts.

A three-dimensional seismic survey was carried out on a 260-quare kilometre area under Sunamganj and Netrokona districts in 2017-18 fiscal year.

The survey revealed that there is a possibility of extracting viable amount of gas from the region.

In 2009, Bapex carried out a two-dimensional survey in a 500 line kilometre area in Sunetra field. The company then announced the possibility of an underground gas reserve of two trillion cubic feet (TCF).

Following the announcement, Bapex drilled its first well in Sunetra in 2012. However, the gas well was sealed shut in 2013, as no presence of gas was found there.

During that period, an insider from Petrobangla, a government-owned national oil company of Bangladesh, revealed that Bapex did not drill the gas well in the area suggested by Petrobangla’s geological department.

The then managing director of Bapex had also acknowledged that issue.

Speaking to the media at that time, the Bapex officials had said: “We changed the place for drilling a gas well because it had more possibility having a gas output.”

Bapex has yet again decided to drill a new gas well in Sunetra field. However, several company officials have declined to comment on the matter.

Back in 2012, Bapex could not drill as far as needed for extracting gas. Bapex drilled 4,763 metres, but according to the three-dimensional survey, they have to drill more than 5,000 metres for gas extraction.

During that time, Petrobangla Chairman Professor Dr Hossain Mansur also echoed the same view, saying: “The gas well design was flawed. We had to stop drilling because of unforeseen complications.

“The high pressure zone in Sunetra is located deep underground, and that is where the gas is located. It is imperative that we design a proper gas well before drilling.”

Professor of Dhaka University’s Geology department, Badrul Imam said: “Bapex should not have announced that it found gas before confirming it by drilling a well. Sunetra filed has a high possibility of containing an underground gas reserve. Sometimes multiple wells must be drilled before a gas well is located. So, it is important to drill another well in Sunetra gas flied.”