Gas Exploration-JS body slams Petrobangla for ‘inefficiency’

Rashidul Hasan

A parliamentary body yesterday strongly criticised officials of Petrobangla for not working “efficiently” in producing gas at different gas fields. The parliamentary standing committee on estimate at a meeting asked Petrobangla to work in a “warlike situation” and increase volume of gas production.
The committee also asked officials of the power and energy ministry to submit in two weeks a report on how to overcome energy crisis. Petrobangla on the other hand sought relaxation of present rules and regulations in exploring gas in a bid to materialise its specialised fast-track project under which it projected to produce as much as 118 to 128 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd).
Petrobangla made the appeal to the government considering urgency of additional gas exploration and digging of gas fields to ensure energy safety by meeting ongoing demand. The Bangladesh oil, gas and mineral corporation informed this yesterday at the meeting of the estimate committee held at the parliament building.
Talking to The Daily Star, HN Ashequr Rahman, chairman of the committee, gave a comparison of gas production between Petrobangla and foreign companies. He said Petrobangla produces 885.17 mmcfd against the reserve of 5.38 trillion cubic feet (TCF) in different gas fields, while foreign companies produce 970 mmcfd against the reserve of 1.5 TCF.
“So we asked Petrobangla to produce gas at its maximum ability,” Rahman told The Daily Star after the meeting. If foreign companies can produce more gas in spite of having less reserve, why Petrobangla cannot produce more, he asked. “The committee has asked Petrobangla to work in a short decision and work in a warlike situation,” he added.
“We are in a serious gas and power crisis and if we cannot meet demands of the people, our pledges for bringing changes and electricity for all will not be materialised,” the committee chief commented. “Investment and studies — nothing will happen in the country unless power is available,” he observed.
Petrobangla officials told the meeting they don’t produce much gas considering profit, say meeting sources. The committee members rejected this view saying nothing is superior to the interest of the country and production of more gas is at present very important considering power crisis, the sources add.
The committee also asked the officials concerned to evaluate which method will be profitable for coalmining in Bangladesh and work accordingly. The committee also instructed the officials to go for building strong opinion among the people in favour of open mine method if it is found profitable. ”You cannot sit idle on your resources,” commented Rahman.
Asked to comment on Petrobangla’s appeal for relaxation of present rules and regulations in exploring gas, Rahman said, “We have assured them of all kinds of cooperation.” Petrobangla requested the government to take necessary steps so that the High Court withdraws the bar on onshore bidding.
It also appealed to the government for not giving gas connection to any sector until production reaches 2,200 mmcfd.

Source: The Daily Star, Bangladesh

Link : http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=88859
Date: 19 May 2009

Govt’s 3-yr power target may not be achieved-Muhith tells editors

Staff Correspondent

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said it is unlikely that Awami League would be able to fulfill its election pledge to raise electricty generation by 1,000 megawatts (MW) in the country by the next three years.
“The target of raising the generation of power in three years may or may not be achieved,” Muhith said in response to questions raised by the editors of leading dailies and news agencies about the nagging power crisis at a pre-budget meeting at finance ministry. He expressed doubt that power generation could be increased to 5,000 MW within the next three years as promised by Awami League before the election.
AL, in its election manifesto, pledged to increase the power generation from the present 4000 MW to 7,000 MW during the government’s five-year tenure. Muhith said power is very important for all development activities. He said Siddhirganj Power Plant would be commissioned soon and a substantial supply of power would be available from it.
Regarding Phulbari coal mine, he said a decision in this regard would taken soon after consultations with the people of the area to improve its energy situation. Muhith also praised some good initiatives taken by the caretaker government to increase power generation. Some electricity has been added to the national grid from rental power plants.
The finance minister also said, “The next budget would be big as we will have to give incentives to different sectors to tackle the world economic recession.” Budgetary allocation in social safety nets, power and the agriculture sector would increase, he said. During the discussion on the budget, editors urged the finance minister to lay emphasis on the power sector and employment generation sectors. Stressing on proper implementation of the budget, the editors said care is taken in collecting revenue but not on it’s spending.
Editor of the Financial Express Moazzem Hossain, The Independent editor Mahbubul Alam, News Today editor Reazuddin Ahmed, The Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam, Channel i Managing editor Faridur Reza Sagar, bdnews24.com editor Toufique Imrose Khalidi, Sangbad editor Altamash Kabir and Manabjamin editor Motiur Rahman Chowdhury took part in the discussion.
Prime Minister’s finance and planning advisor Dr Mashiur Rahman, Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, Jugantor editor Salma Islam, The Bangladesh Today editor Mahmudur Rahman Chowdhury, Finance Secretary Mohammad Tareque, NBR chairman Nasiruddin Ahmed and Economic Relations Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain were also present.

Source: The Daily Star, Bangladesh

Link : http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=83561
Date: 10 April 2009

Develop Phulbari Coal Mine to Resolve Power Crisis

Business leaders of different chamber bodies of northern districts at a discussion in the capital urged the government to move to develop the Phulbari coal mine without any further delay. They saw the huge coal reserve at the Phulbari coal mine as the only option now to deal with future energy crisis, particularly in power generation. “We can easily produce 3,500MW of electricity from the coal to be extracted from the Phulbari mine,” said Rangpur Chamber President Mostafa Azad Chowdhury, adding that as the country’s gas reserve is depleting fast, coal is becoming the only option for power generation.
Greater Rangpur-Dinajpur Industry-Business Development Forum organized the discussion on ‘Industrialization in Rangpur-Dinajpur: Energy Availability’ with President of the forum Nazrul Islam in the chair. Former PDB member Fazlul Haque presented a keynote paper on the topic. Former lawmakers Mizanur Rahman Manu and Asaduzzaman Noor, leaders of eight chambers of the northern districts — Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Panchaghar and Joypurhat — also spoke at the function.
The speakers, supporting the open pit mining at Phulbari coal mine as it provides more than 80 percent extraction of resources, urged the government to ensure proper compensation to those who would be affected by the development of the mine. “The authorities concerned have to ensure that the affected people would be properly compensated and rehabilitated,” said former LGED chief engineer Monwar Hossain Chowdhury.
If the government fails to take the decision in proper time to extract coal from Phulbari mine, Bangladesh might lose the opportunity to use its coal, as there might be a bar on coal extraction worldwide in future, he added. Former BGMEA president Tipu Munshi expressed his frustration over the poor attention of the government to the development of mineral resources of the northern region. He further said the people of the northern region should not be deprived of coal resources due to the antipathy by a section of people.
Forum leader MA Majid termed the opposition to coal extraction in Phulbari an international conspiracy. Editor of the Bangladesh Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury suggested that those who oppose open pit mining and those support open pit should sit together to reach a consensus through a logical debate.

Source: Energy & Power, Bangladesh

Date : 01.09.08

Link: http://www.ep-bd.com/news.php?cat_id=8&archive=7&namee=REPORT