Engr. Khondkar Abdus Saleque:
Following resumption of gas supply to CUFL after 10 months of suspension has further aggravated gas famine of Industrial City Chittagong. Gas supply to all power plants in the Chittagong region remains suspended. All consumers including domestic commercial, Industrial, CNG are suffering from serious gas draught. Gas supply crisis in Chittagong has adversely affected industrial production .Export Oriented Industries are major sufferers. Now the recent situation has caused immense problem for gas using city dwellers. From the present state of development it is highly unlikely that the situation will
Petrobangla Daily Production report evidence that coincident peak gas demand of Chittagong region is 390 MMCFD .The dailysupplies fluctuates between 180-200 MMCFD. About 200 MMCFD persisting gas deficits in Chittagong has created chronic gas crisis in the Chittagong region. Petrobangla, the government organization responsible for Gas Value Chain has miserably failed to address the gas crisis over the entire term of the Grand alliance Government. There is nothing magical can be done in near term as any contingency action may also take at least two years to bear any fruit . In such situation suffering community of Chittagong may turn their back to the ruling party in the ensuing general election.
Let us have an objective analysis of the gas supply situation of Chittagong. From the Daily Gas Production and Supply Report of Petrobangla we find.
Gas Demand Supply Scenario of KGDCL Franchise Area in Chittagong
Sectors Demand : MMCFD Supply : MMCFD Remarks
Power 150 3 Raujan and Shikalbaha Plants are shut down
Fertilizer 115 87.6 KAFCO & CUFL operating at optimum requirements
Others 126 90 -110 Crisis for all consumers
Total 391 180 -200
The gas supply infrastructure of Chittagong comprises of
# 178 KM long 24 “OD Gas transmission pipeline from Bakhrabad Gas Field to Fuajderhat City Gate Station Chittagong.
# Shangu Offshore Gas Field Connected with the Bakhrabad –Chittagong Gas Transmission Pipeline at Salimpoor, Faujderhat
# A spur line from Feni Gas Field to BKB –Chittagong Pipeline
# A spur line from Sundalpoor Gas Field to Bakhrabad –Chittagong Pipeline
# A spur line from Semutang Gas Field to Chittagong Ring Main Pipeline.
Feni Gas Field and Shangu Gas Fields are not in production now. Sundalpoor supplies about 10MMCFD and Semutang supplies 7 MMCFD . About 170 -180 MMCFD gas transmitted through Bakhrabad –Chittagong Pipeline is available for Chittagong area. So at this stage the maximum gas supply to Chittagong hardly exceeds 200 MMCFD
In 1980 the ANSI #400 Gas transmission pipeline was designed with a capacity of 350 MMCFD under condition of 960 PSI at Bakhrabad and 500 PSI at Chittagong. An intermediate compressor station was set up at Feni for installation when required. The capacity of Chittagong CGS in two phases was made 350 MMCFD. Bakhrabad and Feni Gas Fields were developed mainly to serve South Eastern parts of Bangladesh and mainly Chittagong area. But for some delays in construction of KAFCO and CUFL and for meeting the growing gas demand of greater Dhaka area Bakhrabad –Demra 75 KM 20 inches OD Bakhrabad –Demra Pipeline with a capacity of 220 MMCFD was constructed in 1984
Availability of gas created huge incentives for massive gas based industrialization in Chittagong. Apart from two large Fertilizer plants CUFL and KAFCO major gas based power plants were set up at Shikhalbaha and Raujan.Some major industries like KPM, ERL, TSP, Usmania Glass Sheet Factory were converted to gas. Many gas based industries were set up at Nasirabad, Kalurghat, and Halishahar and Chittagong EPZ areas. Gas demand started cumulating. In mid 1990s gas demand of Chittagong started surpassing the supply as over production of Bakhrabad Gas field dramatically depleted the gas reserve. A high priority Ashuganj –Bakhrabad Gas Transmission Pipeline was constructed on top priority basis in 1997 to divert stranded gas of greater Sylhet Region to gas starved Chittagong. But depleted Bakhrabad Gas field required a booster compressor to match the delivery pressure of the gas transmission hub at Bakhrabad Field. The depletion of gas reserve and production of gas with sand and sludge into the pipeline caused erosion and corrosion of Bakhrabad –Chittagong pipeline. The transmission capacity of the Bakhrabad –Chittagong Pipeline was effectively reduced to 250 MMCFD. Feni gas field controversially leased out to NIKO went out of production due to contractual dispute with Petrobangla
However, discovery and development of Shangu offshore gas field in 1998 came as a blessing to Chittagong area. The reserve of gas field however again started depleting from 2002 from effects of over production. Short sighted Petrobangla planners should have made alternate gas supply infrastructure for Chittagong from 2003. Professionals suggested for constructing Bakhrabad –Chittagong Loop Line since 2004. But short sighted gas system policy makers did not pay heed.
The Bangladesh negotiating team for Myanmar-Bangladesh –India pipeline negotiation suggested for routing the Tri Nation Pipeline through Chittagong and making it open access basically from the vision of gas supply crisis mitigation in 2005 .Unfortunately Tri Nation Pipeline did not materialize.
From 2006 the industrialists in Chittagong started giving SOS to policy makers for required actions for gas supply augmentation of Chittagong in view of the depleting scenario of Shangu Gas Field. Many industrialists investing huge borrowed money on gas based industries were perspiring for gas, Care taker Government could do very little. But the democratic Government of Grand Alliance made greatest failure in addressing the gas crisis of Chittagong. Under ill advice of a vested quarter they embarked on ambitious LNG import initiative. In 5 years of its term very little achievement could be done and it still remains in uncertainty. Government did not think it wise to encourage Santos for exploring and developing Magnama and Hatiya Prospects. Santos wanted a feasible concession for letting them develop Kutubdia marginal field. But penny wise pound foolish Policy makers thought otherwise. Consequently Magnama and Hatiya were not also developed. Conoco Philips did very little in their allotted offshore blocks. There is very little prospect of getting any offshore gas in the next 4-5 years. The so called massive advantage of resolution of maritime boundary dispute with Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal could bring very little dividend.
Present government developed Semarang Gas Field, Discovered and developed Sundalpoor Gas Field . But the production from these marginal fields compared to huge deficit of Chittagong can be best described as trickle in the ocean.
In the present scenario commissioning of Ashuganj Compressor station can only marginally improve supply situation to Chittagong without Ashuganj=Bakhrabad and Bakhrabad-Chittagong Loop Line.
We did not really understand Government actions a highly ambitious and very difficult to implement very expensive Bibiyana –Dhanua Pipeline. Where is the huge gas to feed this pipeline over its design life time? Which area it will be serving? Compressor stations at Ashuganj and Elenga are more than enough for gas supply to southern region. Dhaka system will be well served from Bakhrabad -Shiddhirganj Pipeline. This pipeline will serve no purpose for gas starved Chittagong region.
Professionals in the meantime kept on suggesting for constructing a Bi Directional Bakhrabad –Chittagong Loop Line enabling diversion of additional gas from national Grid for Chittagong. The bi directional pipeline can be used to transport back to grid gas when offshore gas or LNG will be available for Chittagong.
Given the present scenario of Gas famine in Chittagong it is suggested that incumbent Government must take a high priority nation project for construction of Bakhrabad –Chittagong Gas Transmission Loop Line Project. LNG import even if it materialized will take at least 4 -5 years. Gas from offshore if any will take 7 -9 years. The only option for mitigating gas famine of Chittagong is to build the Bakhrabad –Chittagong Gas Transmission loop line.
If proper gas supply infrastructure for Chittagong can be ensured CEPZ can further grow, KEPZ can grow to full potential; KAFCO can have a second unit built. Bangladesh economy can get a shot in the arms. For the greater national interest it has now become essential to build the required gas supply infrastructures for securing gas supply to port City Chittagong on top priority basis.