Large gas reserve suspected beneath Inani

A steady flow of gas from an abandoned tube well in Cox’s Bazar’s Inani area for the past 15 days has raised the possibility of a sizeable underground gas reserve beneath the site.

A nine-member delegation from the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (Bapex) visited the site in the Chhotokhal area of Jaliapalong union on Tuesday to assess the gas flow and its potential.

Led by Haldar Rafiqul Islam, a former Bapex general manager, the team has been monitoring the site to determine the sustainability and capacity of the gas flow.

Rafiqul said the consistent flow and pressure over the past 15 days suggest that the gas may not be coming from a temporary underground pocket. This raises the possibility of a larger gas reservoir beneath the area, he added.

However, he warned that allowing the gas to continue burning uncontrolled could pose a serious risk, adding that the immediate priority was to safely seal the well and bring the situation under control.

Geological surveys and assessments of the site's commercial potential will be conducted only after the well has been secured and safety ensured, he said.

Gas began escaping from a hole in an abandoned tube well in Chhotokhal on 27 October. Since then, the gas has continued to burn, while water has been flowing uncontrollably from the site.

The Bapex team’s visit is part of an initial assessment of the incident. Further investigations will be needed to determine the size of any underground reserve and whether the gas can be extracted commercially.