Energy Bangla

The country’s natural gas production is suffering a major setback because of the condensation of a huge stockpile of raw materials in different gas fields.The gas production of Chevron Bangladesh at Bibiyana gas field alone dropped 350mmcfd against its capacity of 1200mmcfd.Last Friday, Petrobangla asked the US energy giant to keep the production between 700mmcfd and 800mmcfd until the condensation crisis goes.Sate Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid on Saturday sat with officials of energy and mineral resources division, Petrobangla and Chevron to this end.During the meeting, Chevron President Kevin Lyon said his company has come down with its production to 850mmcfd of gas against the 1200mmcfd capacity. He said Bibiyana has a storage capacity of 72,000 barrels of condensate but it now rises to 73,400 barrels, hampering gas production seriously. Talking to daily sun, Lyon said they have sought permission to export 5000 barrels of condensate as it creates a problem to produce gas. “I’m hopeful the government will consider our offer and take a step in this regard.”Due to a shortfall in gas production, power generation is getting dented and industrial production being hampered. Sheikh Jahidur Rahman, manager (communications) of Chevron, this correspondent on Sunday that production from Bibiyana has decreased due to a high inventory of produced condensate. “Chevron is working closely with Petrobangla to address this matter so that normal production can resume as soon as possible.”
Petrobangla has directed Chevron to keep 80 percent or 72,000 barrels of condensate storage at the maximum operation level for nine days.It pushes for 850mmcfd gas production against the capacity of 1200mmcfd. Besides, condensate production also dropped to 3,400 barrels per day against the 4,800 barrels capacity at the gas field.About the crisis, Petrobangla Chairman Istiaque Ahmed told daily sun that gas production at Bibiyana has dropped but it is gradually improving.Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd managing director Nawshad Islam also said the company has a shortfall of some 350mmcfd gas.“Industrial units as well as households are suffering immensely because of this nagging problem of gas scarcity. But we’ve continued our supplies to power stations.”A senior official of Bangladesh Power Development Board said they have reduced electricity generation from gas-fired power plants to 4,200MW from 6,000MW in the last two days.He, however, said production at the  costly oil-fired plants has increased to around 2700MW to meet the demand for power. “We’re keeping lower the demand of liquid at fuel-fired power plants due to rainfall in April.”
About a huge stockpile of condensate, a Petrobangla official said Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation has stopped to procure condensate from gas fields.
Talking to BPC authorities about a halt to procure condensate, a senior official said they already have a huge stock of petroleum fuels for BPDB.
BPC procures condensates from gas fields to convert it into petroleum fuels. But BPC compelled to stop the job as BPDB dropped to consume furnace oil for electricity generation due to favourable weather in March, April and May.Besides, Eastern Refinery Limited of BPC regularly refines 1300-1500 tonnes of furnace oil through crude oil, a major part of which comes from condensate. But ERL remained shut for 14 days last month due to low consumption of fuel.
The refinery now faces low-feed problem of petroleum fuel as its fuel stockpile is 60,000 tonnes and other fuel companies together have 63,364 tonnes that may force ERL to shut anytime, BPC officials observed.In a letter to EMRD last month, BPC Chairman AM Badruddoza said BDPB furnace oil consumption dropped to 57,150 tonnes in March and 55,280 tonnes in April against the demand for 96,098 tonnes and 92,999 tonnes respectively.Besides, the demand for fuel use by BPDB also dropped by 75 percent between May 1-18. Power plants were supposed to consume 96,098 tonnes in May.
Now, the government has allowed 26 out of 40 oil-fired plants to import their own fuel. The plants have the current capacity to generate 3100MW of power.
Besides, 14 plants that depend on BPC also dropped their consumption around 50 percent, forcing huge stockpile of fuels in BPC.Hamid said favourable weather and required rainfall have created the trouble.