Govt to drill 150 wells, set up new LNG terminals to address industrial gas crisis: PM

The BNP government has undertaken major plans to resolve the persistent gas supply crisis in the industrial sector by significantly increasing domestic production and setting up a new terminal for LNG imports.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman outlined the plans in a question-answer session in the parliament on Wednesday after treasury bench lawmaker Sultana Ahmed raised a question over the country’s gas supply situation.

By 2030-31, the government plans to drill 150 new wells, and also conduct exploration works for discovering new gas reserves.

As per the plans, along 4,500 line kilometres 2D seismic surveys will be conducted and along 4,200 line kilometres 3D seismic surveys will be conducted to discover gas reserves by 2030-31, the premier said.

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Furthermore, the government on 24 May floated tenders for attracting foreign companies to explore and extract natural gas and crude oil supplies in the 26 offshore blocks. The deadline for tender bid submission is November, Tarique told the parliament.

For exploring onshore reserves, the government has begun works for drafting the “Bangladesh Onshore Model PSC-2026.”

When it comes to boosting LNG supplies, relevant works have already been started to establish a new floating terminal in Kutubjom union of Moheshkhali upazila, Cox’s Bazar and a land-based termina in Matarbaril of the upazila.

Regasification from the two terminals would begin by 2028 and 2030, respectively, the PM said.

The government is also exploring the probability of setting up another floating LNG terminal near the Payra or Mongla port or any other part in the country’s southeast.

The government has taken plans for utilising the gas reserves in the island district of Bhola, Tarique said.

Bringing the gas to the mainland via pipeline would take seven years, and therefore, to avoid the delay, the government has decided to use Bhola’s gas inside the district itself.

Works are already underway for setting up gas-based industries in the district, Tarique said.

The government would also establish a fertiliser factory and a 500-megawatt power plant in the district. A feasibility study will also be done to determine the prospects of bringing Bhola’s gas to mainland factories in the form of LNG, Tarique told the parliament.