Bapex collects gas samples emitted from shrimp farm in Mongla

Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (Bapex) has collected gas samples emitted from a shrimp farm at Mongla in Bagerhat.

Experts collected the samples from an enclosure in Purbapara area of Mithakhali village in the upazila on Wednesday (July 13) noon.

Hawladar Ohidul Islam, Chief General Manager (Lab) of Bapex, Md Touhidur Rahman, General Manager (Operations) of Sundarban Gas Company Ltd, Khulna, Md Noor Alam Sheikh, Bagerhat District Convener of National Committee for Oil, Gas, Power, and Port Protection were present during the sample collection.

"Our expert team has collected gas samples. This sample will be tested in detail. We can only know what type of gas this is after examination," our Bagerhat correspondent reports quoting Hawladar Ohidul Islam, Chief General Manager (Lab) of the expert team. 

Initially experts speculated it may be shallow marsh gas (rotting herbs, shrubs) i.e. methane gas on the surface. But if the presence of higher hydrocarbons is found in one of the two tests, it could likely be a source of underground combustible valuable commercial gas.

If no higher hydrocarbon is found, that will indicate it is methane gas on the surface which will run out at some point as it rises for a while.

But if it is a commercial source, necessary steps will be taken.

Hawladar Ohidul Islam advised Delwar Sheikh (35), the owner of the farm, not to use the gas to power stoves by constructing a line as there is a risk of sudden fire in and around the house.

On the morning of June 30, while extracting sand from the shrimp enclosure of Md Delwar Hossain (30) in Purbopara area of Mithakhali union of Mongla upazila of Bagerhat, gas started to flow out of the land.

Delwar Hossain, the owner of the enclosure, was later found cooking with the gas. Since then, locals have been gathering at the scene to see the place where the gas is being emitted from.