The borehole, to be, of the deep tube-well was ogling gaseous fuel.
Waiz Uddin was implementing a deep tube-well on the grounds of his home in Mirsarai, Chittagong. The people digging the hole suddenly smelt methane. They lit-up a matchstick and held it on the mouth of the hole – the air ignited.
When informed, the upazila chairman of the area brought along the executive officer and investigated the area. The gas outlet was closed, subsequently, and remains so till date.
Another such incident was witnessed by the upazila nirbahi officer in the nearby Ichakhali union, at the fishery of now deceased Yusuf Chairman.
Local sources later revealed that the officer informed the district commissioner about the incidents via a memorandum (865) and advised that Ichakhali 6 and Mayani 13 union were explored for mineral gas.
In a year since, very little has been done with regard to that advice.
In local areas of Mastanagar, Haitkandi Bapna Pukur, locals have time and again informed authorities of such incidents. In Kumira, Sitakunda, a geyser has been oozing gas through bubbles for a long time.
From Baiyarhat in Mirsarai to the bank of the Karnaphuli River in Chittagong, there are many such prospective gas exploration points. In many places of Mirsarai-Sitakundu, gas oozing out of the crust of the earth is visible through the naked eye.
The enterprise required for extracting these resources, however, is non-existent. The DGM of Chittagong Bapex, Abul Bashar, admits awareness of the prospects in the area.
A research-geologist Almgir Hossain said valuable fuels could surely be extracted by implementing deep tube-wells in strategic locations in the vicinity. Only effort necessary is the adequately extensive exploration.
But the upazila executicve officer Ashraf Hossain expressed frustration as despite his efforts, authorities concerned have put very little endeavour forward.
When the Dhaka Tribune contacted the Bapex DGM for comment, he informed that the Bapex proposals have been put forward to the MD of the company. Special initiatives need to be taken by public policymakers to realise this potential.
He also informed that Bapex geologist Md Alamgir Hossain had conducted a field-level report at the area few years back.
The Dhaka Tribune contacted Alamgir Hossain, now the project director of the Sonakandi gas field at Noakhali, about his expert opinion on the region’s prospects.
“There are many gas points between Baroyahat, Mirsarai till the Karnaphuli. But the mining rigs here need to be at least 400 metres deep. The equipments we have used before did not have adequate capacity.
“If higher capacity equipments are used, it more likely that an ‘unconventional reserve’ will be discovered – it’s a regular discovery in the developed world now.
“Countries like Canada, America are now extracting fuel from the source of the soil. Our region, however, is even more prospective if proper technology can be procured. Jica or Canadian cooperation could facilitate the process further,” he said.
In another silver lining, the specialist informed that even the surface temperature of the area could be used to generate electricity given the investment and technology.
The upazila executive will shortly write to the district commissioner so that necessary measures are taken, again.