Bapex Discovers New Gas Deposit in Noakhali, Estimates 97.69 BCF Reserves

The Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) has discovered gas in a new exploration well in Companiganj upazila of Noakhali. The company said the two zones of the Sundalpur South-1 well, located in Rampur Union, hold an estimated 97.69 billion cubic feet (BCF) of gas. According to Bapex, the estimated market value of the reserve is around Tk 5,809 crore, while the well could supply approximately 15 million cubic feet of gas per day to the national grid.

Officials confirmed the presence of gas at the well on Monday (November 2) by igniting it.

According to Bapex sources, the drilling was completed with funding from the Bangladesh government and the company's own resources. The decision to drill the well was taken based on the findings of Bapex's three-dimensional (3D) seismic survey, conducted under the initiative of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

Drilling of the Sundalpur South-1 exploration well began on July 8 this year using Bapex's Bijoy-10 rig. After drilling to a depth of approximately 3,289 metres, gas was discovered in two separate zones of the well. Under the current plan, gas extraction from the well could continue for the next 20 years.

Mohammad Mozammel Haque, project director of the Sundalpur South-1 exploration well, confirmed the discovery. He said monitoring and Drill Stem Test (DST) operations would continue for the next 15 days to determine whether oil or any other substances are also present in the well. More details will be available after the tests are completed.

The latest discovery is considered by relevant stakeholders to offer significant prospects for Bangladesh's national energy sector.