Equipped with new machinery and investment, Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited is implementing a series of programmes to produce gas up to 1,000 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) by 2016, a parliamentary body said yesterday.
The parliamentary standing committee on public undertakings said there will be no gas crisis after 2016 as the said amount of gas is equivalent to half of the country's present production.
"Bapex is set to produce 70 mmcfd of gas by December, 500 mmcfd gas by 2012 and 1,000 mmcfd by 2016," ABM Ghulam Mustafa, chief of the committee, told reporters after a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Mustafa, also a ruling Awami League lawmaker, said Bapex itself will be able to explore new gas fields once two drilling rigs reach Dhaka by July.
The parliamentary watchdog asked Bapex to renovate wells in different gas fields to enhance its effectiveness.
Bapex high officials informed the committee that without any foreign company's assistance, Bapex is engaged to explore gas at different prospective fields including Kapasia, Sikail, Sundarpur, Mobarokpur and Shahajadpur.
"We want Bapex become self-sufficient in exploring and producing gas," Mustafa said.
On stopping wastage of gas, the committee recommended quick installation of gas meters and introduction of a monitoring system.
It also asked the authorities concerned to discourage import of stones for construction to save foreign currency and recommended using high quality local stones.
The committee also asked the Islamic Foundation to start a campaign in favour of the government's move to try the war criminals.
The committee said the war criminals gave wrong explanation of Islam and committed heinous crimes against humanity during Liberation War in 1971.