Bangladesh's BAPEX Strikes Gas at Srikail

Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (BAPEX) has discovered natural gas reserves at Srikail in Comilla district, about 100 km from the capital Dhaka.

“We have found presence of gas at 3,020 metres depth from the surface at Srikail while drilling an exploratory well there in a major boost to resolve the country's mounting energy crisis,” BAPEX Managing Director Mortuza Ahmad Faruque told the Financial Express.

He was optimistic about the presence of another gas layer at around 2900 metres depth from the surface at Srikail. There could be a cumulative 40 metres gas layer in two zones, said Faruque. Gas is now flowing from the well on a test basis at around 1,900 psi, he said.

The field is likely to hold around 300 billion cubic feet (Bcf), he said. Additional reserve could be found by drilling new wells and carrying out 3D survey, which would be conducted in October next.

It is expected that around 30 million cubic feet (mmcf) of gas could be produced daily from the well from December next on completion of the laying of necessary pipeline and establishment of a process plant.

Bapex - a subsidiary of the state-owned Petrobangla - initiated drilling the exploration well on May 5, 2012 and continued until June 30, 2012.