12.5 MMCFD Natural Gas Added to National Grid from Titas Gas Field
Gas supply from Well-28 of the Titas Gas Field in Brahmanbaria has officially commenced feeding the national grid at a rate of 12.5 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) to help address Bangladesh’s ongoing energy crisis. Mr. Anindy Islam Amit, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, inaugurated the operations as the chief guest through special prayers. Key dignitaries, including Engr. Khaled Hossain Mahbub Shyamal, MP for Brahmanbaria-3 and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Commerce, along with senior officials from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division and Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Limited (BGFCL).
Emphasizing the strategic imperative of domestic energy expansion, the State Minister highlighted the financial burden of relying heavily on foreign energy sources. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Anindy Islam Amit stated, ‘Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is currently being imported at nearly triple the cost, an expense that is unsustainable in the long run. Consequently, plans have been adopted to enhance domestic production capacity for continuous improvement of the gas supply situation by 2030.’ He further explained that the addition of 12.5 MMCFD of gas from Titas Well-28 will play a pivotal role in keeping industrial units operational, boosting power generation, and strengthening the national economy.
Detailing the broader energy landscape, the State Minister noted that normal domestic gas demand stands at 3,800 MMCFD, but supply recently dropped to 2,350 MMCFD due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. However, emergency government initiatives have steadily improved supply since September 15 through intensified onshore and offshore exploration. He added that the present government aims to secure a total supply of 3,300 MMCFD by combining 1,200 MMCFD from the energy sector and 1,000 MMCFD from a land-based LNG terminal, while achieving a target supply of 5,000 MMCFD by 2030 to fully satisfy the nation’s total gas demand.
Officials from Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Limited (BGFCL) outlined an ambitious timeline for short-term capacity expansion across multiple active drilling projects. Engr. Md. Ashraful Alam, General Manager (Operations) of BGFCL, confirmed that Well-28 was connected to the national grid immediately after its inauguration to boost domestic output. Meanwhile, Engr. A.K.M. Jashim Uddin, Project Director, stated, ‘Drilling for Titas Well-28 was completed about a month ago as part of a BDT 800 crore project covering four wells, and plans are underway to expedite work on the remaining wells to supply gas to the national grid.’
Providing technical updates on ongoing drilling operations, Md. Mahmudul Nawab, Director of BGFCL’s Deep Exploration Gas Well Drilling Project, detailed the status of Titas-31, which has reached a depth of 4,920 meters out of a 5,600-meter target. Mr. Mahmudul Nawab shared, ‘In the absence of geological complexities, work on Titas-31 is expected to conclude in the next two to three months, potentially supplying 15 MMCFD to the national grid.’ He added that Titas-29 and Titas-30 are scheduled for completion within one to four months, each expected to yield 10 to 15 MMCFD, while the deep well Bakhrabad-11 will follow Titas-31 to add another 10 MMCFD.
Altogether, BGFCL officials estimate that an additional 67.5 MMCFD will be added to the national grid within the next three to four months from these five wells. Regarding gas reserves, the current reserve of the Titas Gas Field stands at approximately 1.5 trillion cubic feet (TCF). However, because Titas-31 is a deep exploratory well, officials hold strong hopes for discovering new reserves, with initial geological estimates suggesting a potential addition of nearly 2 TCF. The precise capacity of these newly explored layers will be formally confirmed through multi-layer testing following the completion of drilling operations.
Looking toward long-term national planning, the government has formulated a comprehensive 10-year roadmap to drill 150 wells by 2030 and another 150 wells by 2035. So far, 31 wells have been drilled in record time, with active drilling ongoing at 7 additional locations. According to the State Minister, completing the primary 150 wells will yield 1,762 MMCFD of natural gas. Furthermore, the required national gas supply will be reinforced by securing 1,100 MMCFD from two existing Floating Storage Regasification Units (FSRUs), complemented by additional capacity from two planned FSRU projects to guarantee long-term energy security.
