The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

As the country is heading towards a severe gas crisis within the next few years, Petrobangla has refused to supply gas to the government's six high-priority new power plants. According to official sources, the state-owned hydrocarbon and mineral agency recently communicated its decision to the Power Division at a meeting in Planning Commission.

The proposed plants are 210 MW Shiddhirganj thermal power plant (unit-2), 225 MW Shikalbaha combined cycle (CC) plant, 150 MW Sylhet CC plant, 225 MW Ghorasal (CC) plant, 450 MW Ashuganj CC plant and 450 MW Meghnaghat phase-3 CC plant.

The government's move to set up the plants is part of the medium-term plan (2005-2012) of the Power System Master Plan 2005 to meet the growing electricity demand.

The medium-term plan also includes 450 MW Bibiyana CC plant and 450 MW Sirajganj plant. But when the Power Division moved to be sure about adequate gas supply for the proposed power plants, Petrobangla confirmed it only for the Bibiyana and Sirajganj plants, but refused to do so for the other six plants. Sources said the Petrobangla's refusal came due to the constraints it has been facing in the existing gas reserve, future production growth and other infrastructure facilities.

The recent negative result in the drilling by Cairn Energy at the Magnama structure in an offshore field has turned out to be a big upset in its future gas production delineation as it had earlier envisioned of having a 3.5 trillion cubic feet of gas reserve.

But after going down to a depth of 4000 metre, Cairn found the structure dry and abandoned its drilling operation.