Energy Bangla

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the much-awaited Bibiyana Gas Field Expansion Project here along with Bibiyana-Dhanua Gas Pipeline expressing the hope that these projects would reduce the gap between the national demand and supply of the gas.
“It is my firm belief that these projects would lessen the gap between the national demand and supply of the gas,” she told the inaugural function of the project.
Terming power and gas production as a costly one, Sheikh Hasina called upon the countrymen for economical use of the precious national resources by considering the future energy security. Power and gas production is very costly, and gas, in particular, is not endless. “So I call upon the countrymen for economical use of the precious national resources by considering the future energy security,” she said.
Congratulating all concerned including Petrobangla, GTCL and Chevron on implementation of these projects quickly and properly, the Prime Minister hoped that other international oil companies including Chevron would come forward in future by taking the opportunity for favourable investment environment.
PM’s Energy Advisor Dr Towfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry M Tazul Islam, local parliament member Abdul Munim Chowdhury, Energy Secretary Abu Bakar Siddique, Petrobangla Chairman Ishtiaq Ahmed, President of Chevron Asia Pacific Melody Meyer, President of Chevron Bangladesh Geoff Strong also spoke on the occasion.
Awami League Advisory Council Member and former minister Suranjit Sengupta, MP, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohasin Ali, State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Sikdar and PM’s Press Secretary AKM Shamim Chowdhuri were present, among others.
The Prime Minister said her government wants to build a well- strengthened energy sector by further strengthening the Bapex. “We will have to strengthen the Bapex side by side with bringing foreign investment,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said natural gas, the main source of energy, is environment-friendly and cost-effective. “This gas is one of the main strengths for expansion of our agriculture, industry and commerce meaning economic prosperity,” she said.
She said 73 percent of the country’s total commercial energy is met from the natural gas which saves our valuable foreign currencies.
The Prime Minister said the country is moving forward by standing on the foundation that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman laid through his farsighted steps for the country’s energy security.
“We are implementing different programmes to ensure planned searching, exploration and disciplined management of the natural gas,” she said.
After formation of the government in 2009, she said, her previous government had started work by giving highest priority to the power and energy sector.
“We had taken short, middle and long-term plans for exploration, extraction, transmission and distribution for coordinating the demand and supply. Today’s inauguration of Bibiyana Gas Field Expansion Project and gas distribution in the Bibiyana-Dhanua Gas Transmission Pipe Line is the successful implementation of that steps,” she said.
The Prime Minister said international oil company Chevron is producing 830 million cubic feet gas every day from Bibiyana, the largest gas field of the country, under a production sharing agreement.
The expansion of the Bibiyana Gas Field will supply additional 300 million cubic feet per day and increase 4,000 barrels more condensate. As a result, she said, 1200 million cubic feet gas and 8,200 barrels condensate will be produced from the Bibiyana Gas Field.
Sheikh Hasina said 137-kilometer Bibiyana-Dhanua Gas Transmission Pipe Line is the longest pipe line having highest diameter.
The construction work of the pipe line has been completed before the stipulated time through Mymensingh and Gazipur districts including 67-km remote haor areas of Habiganj and Kishoreganj districts in the relentless efforts of Energy and Mineral Resources Division, Petrobangla and GTCL.
The construction of this pipe line has been finished by coordinating the first gas production of the Bibiyana Gas Field Expansion Project, and with the augmentation of the gas line, the gas supply situation would be improved significantly.
Spelling out her government’s steps for development of the gas sector, the Prime Minister said the government has discovered Sundarganj, Srikail and Rupganj gas fields.
Due to discovery of the gas fields and work over activities, she said, additional 710 million cubic feet gas has been increased. The rate of daily current gas production is 2454 million cubic feet, which was 1744 million cubic feet in 2008.
The Prime Minister said the government has set up 706 kilometer new gas transmission line and brought Rajshahi divisional city under the gas network. The gas distribution in the country’s southwestern region would be expanded with the completion of Hatikumrul-Bheramara pipe line, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said to increase operational pressure of the national gas transmission grid as well as raising the capacity of pipe lines, the setting up of compressor station at Muchai in Habiganj was completed in March 2012, while another compressor was installed at Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria in July this year.
The work on setting up another compressor station at Elenga in Tangail is at the final stage. As a result, she said, distribution of gas in correct pressure is being possible to the mills and factories, and suffering of the clients is being reduced.
Besides, the Prime Minister inaugurated Bibiyana Power Plant from Dhaka-Sylhet Highway, Nabiganj Fire Service and Civil Defence Station and laid the foundation stone of Bibiyana South 400-MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Project, Bibiyana Power Plant, Bijnai Bridge and Nabiganj Upazila Muktijoddha Complex.
She also visited the construction work of Summit Bibiyana Power Plant.