‘Gas reserve will be exhausted in 11yrs’

The existing stock of 10.63 trillion cubic feet gas will end within 11 years if the current rate of production (2,570 million cubic feet per day) continues, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid told the parliament yesterday.

He was replying to a query from Awami League MP Mohammad Ebadul Karim.

In a written answer, Nasrul Hamid said the government has undertaken a plan to dig gas wells at different prospective places to meet the growing demand.

As per the plan, Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) has taken an initiative to dig two wells between 2019-2021, 13 wells between 2022-2030, and 20 between 2031-2041.

He added that activities are ongoing under the production sharing contract with different international oil companies to explore new gas fields at three blocks in shallow water areas and at one block in deep water area of the Bay of Bengal.

The work of digging well at block SS-04 of the shallow water area will start from the last week of this month.

In reply to a query from ruling AL MP Benajir Ahmed, Nasrul Hamid said system loss in electricity has been reduced to 9.35 percent in 2018-19 fiscal year from 14.33 percent in 2008-09, due to the government’s various measures.

While replying to a query from AL MP M Abdul Latif, the state minister said there is no shortage of electricity in the country at present as the production capacity of electricity remains higher than the demand.   

He also informed the House that the government will finalise the draft coal policy at the quickest possible time.

Nasrul told the parliament that 8,318 posts are vacant under different departments and companies of the power division.

He said a recruitment process is ongoing to fill the posts.