Russian state-owned company Gazprom has started drilling a 3,900-metre deep third development well at the Shahbazpur Gas Field in Bhola’s Char Borhanuddin.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed inaugurated the drilling work yesterday.
“The drilling work is scheduled to be completed by August,” Abdul Halim, director of the well-drilling project of the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) told the Dhaka Tribune.
Gazprom will drill another well on the gas field, Halim said, adding that the two wells are expected to produce 50 million cubic feet of gas following the successful completion of the work.
The Shahbazpur gas field was discovered in 1994 and started supplying gas to Bhola’s 33MW rental power plant in 2010. Bapex initiated the drilling of the wells through Gazprom.
In April 2012, the government signed a deal with Gazprom for drilling 10 gas wells, spending $193.55m across the country, without any tender under the Power and Energy Quick Supply (special provision) Act.
Under the signed agreements, the Russian party was supposed to complete the drilling of those wells by the end of last year. The company has so far drilled nine wells.
Petrobangla is expected to supply around 250–300 million cubic feet of natural gas a day to the national grid from the 10 gas wells.
On April 9 last year, the Power Development Board signed an agreement with China Chengda Engineering Company Ltd for the installation of a 225MW power plant at Bhola’s Borhanuddin upazila, which would supply power to the national grid by 2015. Petrobangla has consented to supply gas to this plant from its Shahbazpur gas field.