Gas has been found in the Jamalpur-1 exploration well at Tartapara village in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur, though not in large quantity. BAPEX field in-charge Baizid Hossain confirmed it on Tuesday afternoon, 29 September, the Daily Bangladesh reports.
He said soil tests have fixed sites for two more wells and only approval is awaited. BAPEX sources say three sites are planned in Madarganj: Jamalpur-1 at Tartapara, a second at Singdaha in Gunaritala union and a third at Nabyachar in Charpakerdaha union.
Hossain said there is a chance of significant gas once exploration and development of the three wells are complete. If gas is found, the plan is to pipe it directly to the Jamuna Fertilizer Factory at Tarakandi in Sarishabari.
To ease the gas shortage, the government planned to drill 50 exploration, development and workover wells in the 2024-2026 fiscal years. As part of that, BAPEX began drilling Jamalpur-1 in Exploration Block-8 at a cost of about Tk 168 crore, based on seismic surveys of 1980, 2014-15 and 2015-16. The rig was installed on 13 January this year and drilling was formally opened on 24 January.
The report says gas was also found in the same area in 2014, when project officials spoke of drilling to 2,600 metres and finding gas at a rate of 7.3 million cubic feet from a layer at 1,444 metres.
The Jamuna Fertilizer Factory was shut for long stretches this year for lack of gas. The BAPEX official said that once drilling is finished, the government will be able to supply gas according to the quantity found. The report was filed by Jamalpur correspondent Delwar Hossain.
Source: Daily Bangladesh
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