Bhola gas field could supply 107 mmcfd if infrastructure gaps are fixed

Bhola gas field could supply up to 107 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of natural gas if effective infrastructure measures are implemented, according to officials involved in domestic gas development.

At present, 75 mmcfd of gas is being supplied from six wells in Bhola through Sundarban Gas Company Limited, a Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex), an official said on Tuesday. However, around 47 mmcfd remains unused due to the absence of a pipeline or alternative transmission system to transport gas from the island district to the mainland for industrial consumption.

To address this constraint, the government is implementing a project to install a process plant capable of producing an additional 60 mmcfd from three wells—Bhola North-1, Bhola North-2 and Ilisha-1. Installation work began in January 2025 and is scheduled for completion by December.

According to Bapex data, Bhola’s nine wells have the potential to produce up to 182 mmcfd of gas, which could partially ease the country’s ongoing gas supply deficit if transmission bottlenecks are resolved.

In parallel, the government has approved further investment to strengthen domestic gas exploration. A proposal endorsed by the advisers’ council committee on government purchases includes drilling four appraisal-cum-development wells—Shahbazpur-5, Shahbazpur-7, Bhola North-3 and Bhola North-4—as well as one exploration well, Shahbazpur North East-1.

The wells will be drilled under an international tender using a one-stage, two-envelope procurement method on a turnkey basis. The estimated project cost stands at Tk 907.29 crore. Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration & Production Corporation of China has been recommended as the responsive bidder.

Officials confirmed that an initial agreement has been signed with the Chinese company, while physical work is expected to commence in July, subject to land acquisition and site development preparations.

Energy policymakers view expanded production from Bhola as a strategic component of Bangladesh’s broader energy security agenda. Increasing domestic gas output is expected to reduce dependence on imported liquefied natural gas and other fuels while supporting industrial activity and power generation.

Officials said the newly elected government intends to prioritise domestic resource development to enhance long-term energy security and stabilise supply in the face of rising demand.