Brahmanbaria: A state-run entity, Bangladesh Gas Field Company Limited (BGFCL), has commenced drilling operations to explore gas situated 18,000 feet below ground level in Brahmanbaria. The initiative aims to augment the national gas supply.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Engineer Abdul Jalil Pramanik, Managing Director of BGFCL, stated that there is significant potential for gas resources at these depths, as they are closer to the source rock. The ongoing drilling is set to reach a depth of 5,600 meters, or 18,372 feet, marking a record for deep well drilling in the region. A modern rig with 2,682 horsepower has been deployed to probe the Borail layer, where untapped gas reserves might exist.
FERB Chairman Azizur Rahman Ripon, Executive Director Shirajul Islam, Vice Chairman Hasan Azad, and other officials visited the Titas-31 Deep Well site. Abdul Jalil Pramanik mentioned future plans, indicating that another well would be drilled in Bakhrabad utilizing the same Chinese rig. The exploration of these two wells is projected to cost Tk.594 crore, with an expected yield of 2 trillion cubic feet of gas, contingent upon successful drilling.
The nation’s current gas demand stands at approximately 3,800 mmcfd, with the supply ranging between 2,600 to 2,700 mmcfd. An average of 1,000 mmcfd of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is imported to bridge the demand-supply gap. The drilling of Titas-31, initiated on April 19, is anticipated to take 210 days, with 22 percent of the work completed thus far. The Bakhrabad well is expected to require around 180 days for completion.
BGFCL officials noted that gas reserves in the Titas field are located at four underground levels, with the first level between 3,736 to 3,765 meters and the last one between 5,315 to 5,344 meters. Once drilling surpasses 3,750 meters, a high-pressure zone will be encountered. To mitigate risks, a blow-out preventer with a capacity of 15,000 PSI is in use, ensuring safety at an elevated level compared to the previous threshold of 10,000 PSI.
The drilling is being executed by the Chinese state-owned company CCDC, given the unavailability of a high-capacity rig in Bangladesh. CCDC has prior experience in drilling wells as deep as 10,000 meters in China, raising hopes for discovering new energy reserves beneath the Titas field.