Govt to drill 2 new gas wells in Sylhet to boost supply

The government is planning to dig two new gas wells in Sylhet to enhance supply for meeting the country’s increasing energy demand.

For this purpose, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has sent a project proposal titled “Drilling of Sylhet-11 (Development Well) and Rashidpur-13 (Exploration Well),” with an estimated cost of Tk557.87 crore, to the Planning Commission earlier this month.

If approved, the Sylhet Gas Fields Limited under the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) will execute the project by February 2026, a Planning Commission official said.

This strategic move aligns with the government’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable and reliable energy supply, marking a crucial step towards meeting the nation’s growing energy demands, according to the project proposal.

Two wells – Sylhet-11 and Rashidpur-13 – at depths of 2,000 metres and 4,200 metres, respectively, will be drilled under the project.

The project’s primary objective is to partially satisfy the burgeoning energy requirements of the nation by producing 20 million cubic feet (mmcf) gas per day.

Upon successful completion of the project, the two new wells will contribute significantly to the country’s energy sector, producing at least 20 mmcf of gas per day during the first five years and 16 mmcf per day in the subsequent five years.

The proposed deadline for starting commercial gas supply from the wells is 1 March 2026.

Md Mizanur Rahman, managing director of the Sylhet Gas Field Limited, said that the government is taking proactive measures to address the ongoing gas crisis in the country.

As part of the initiative to increase domestic gas production, the project for the Sylhet-11 development well and Rashidpur-11 exploration well has been proposed.

He expressed his optimism that the project will be approved in January 2024. Upon approval, the physical work is expected to commence within four to six months.

If all goes according to plan, Sylhet-11 is projected to yield 10 mmcf of gas daily, while Rashidpur-11 is expected to contribute 15 mmcf daily, said Mizanur Rahman.

The combined output from these new wells, along with three other wells in the gas field, has the potential to supply 75 mmcf of gas per day to the national grid, he added.

Dr Zahid Hussain, former lead economist at the World Bank’s Dhaka office, emphasised the necessity of setting up new gas wells due to the depleting reserves in the existing sources in the country.

However, he recommended a cautious approach with a proper feasibility study to determine the potential of extracting gas, and to evaluate the economic viability of such projects, taking into consideration the current economic conditions.