The country’s recoverable gas reserve has been estimated at 28.2 trillion cubic feet (TCF) which is expected to meet the local gas demand for the next 30 years, a latest finding shows.

The estimated gas reserve marks an increase of about 7.8tcf compared to that of the previous estimation made in 2003, says the finding of a two-year survey on recoverable gas reserve.

Hydrocarbon Unit under Energy and Mineral Resources Division conducted the survey at 23 gas fields and structures in association with USA-based firm Gustavson Associates and local consultants.

The survey was done on the basis of update gas production data, Unocal Reserve Reports-2000 at Bibiyana and Jalalabad gas fields, Reserve Estimation Report, Tullow 2005 report for Bangora and RPS Energy 2010 reports for Petrobangla.

About the estimated gas reserve, Hydrocarbon Unite director general Engr Anwar Hossain Khan told daily sun, “We have just submitted the finding after two-year survey from 2009.”

The government is yet to take initiative to gear up its gas exploration activities, he said adding, “Latest finding might help them to prepare government’s future plan of action.”

Petrobangla, the state-owned oil and gas exploration company, is supplying gas around 2000mmcfd (million cubic feet per day) against the total demand for 2500mmcfd.

The Hydrocarbon unit in its latest report said, “Currently, Bangladesh is experiencing severe gas shortage. Gas crisis is likely to deepen in the next five years.”

The report also suggested that the government should strike deals on drilling wells as soon as possible and award new gas blocks in view of the country’s severe gas crisis.

It also said the government should go for alternative energy through import of liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquid petroleum gas (LPG) along side import of gas through pipelines.

The government should also increase the prices of wellhead gas prices and allow gas sales to a third party to attract more investors in the country’s energy sector, the report suggested.

“Sale of at subsidized rate causes huge wastage of gas and it has led to halt of investment in the energy sector. So the government should take steps to open market for natural gas,” it said.

The latest finding report also said Petropangla is producing gas from 79 wells in 19 fields out of 23 discovered fields where Petrobangla’s contribution is 47 percent while international companies’ contribution is 53 percent.

The recoverable gas reserve estimated at Bakharabad gas filed is 1387bcf (billion cubic feet), 621bcf at Bangora field, 137bcf at Beani Bazaar, 4532bcf at Bibiyana, 329bcf at Fenchuganj, 2787bcf at Habiganj, 1128bcf at Jalalabad, 2880bcf at Kailastila, 494bcf at Moulavibazar, 345bcf at Narshingdi, 3149bcf at Rashidpur, 267bcf at Salda Nadi, 771bcf at Sangu, 264bcf at Shahbazpur, 400bcf at Sylhet, 7582bcf at Titas, 474bcf at Chhatak, 130bcf at Feni, 50bcf at Kamta, 49bcf at Meghna, 33bcf at Begumganj, 46bcf at Kutubdia and 318bcf at Semutang.

The survey finding said that the gas initial in place (GIIP) in 23 gas fields is 35.5tcf which was 28.4tcf in 2003 in the previous finding.

The government cannot achieve GDP target due to short supply of gas in most of the sectors including industrial, domestic, CNG stations and fertiliser factories and power plants.

According to Petrobangla, the present demand for gas is 2,520 mmcfd which will go up to 3,043mmcfd in 2012, 3,341mmcfd in 2013, 3,591mmcfd in 2014 and 3,746mmcfd in 2015. The government is likely to declare the latest findings on gas reserves soon, Petrobangla sources said.