DHAKA, Oct 3, 2024 (BSS) - Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan today said the government has taken an initiative to strengthen exploration work for natural gas aimed at mitigating the prevailing energy crisis.
 
"The energy crisis is being created due to declining gas reserves in the country. As a result, the government is forced to import expensive LNG," he told journalists at his ministry conference room.
 
Fouzul Kabir said that the current government has decided to strengthen the gas exploration activities across the country, adding, "A seven companies have expressed interest in deep sea gas exploration."
 
He said the government has a plan to drill 50 gas wells by 2025, of which 15 wells were already been drilled and 176 million cubic feet daily (mmcfd) gas is being found, but 76 mmcfd gas is now being supplied to the national grid due to unavailability of pipeline.
 
The adviser said the more 35 will be drilled by 2025, of which Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX) will drill 11 and remaining 24 wells will be open tender. No G-to-G (Government to Government).
 
He said the government will drill a total of 100 wells by 2028, of which 69 wells onshore, of which BAPEX will explore to 33 wells with hiring 10 rigs and the remaining 26 wells will be explored through open tender method.
 
Fouzul Kabir also said that Bangladesh is alert regarding the instability caused in the global energy market due to the ongoing Middle East situation.
 
Mentioning the prevailing energy crisis would be mitigated if digging and exploration of wells became easy, he said the energy ministry was not in favour of extending the duration of project implementation.
 
Energy secretary Md Nurul Alam, chairman of Petrobangla Zanendra Nath Sarkar and officials concerned were present at the briefing.