Govt plans to drill 19 more gas wells in Bhola by 2028: Energy Advisor

Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, the adviser for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources in the interim government, announced that five gas wells will be drilled in Bhola by 2025. He added that there are plans to drill a total of 19 gas wells, which includes an additional 14 wells, by 2028 to help solve the gas crisis.

He made these remarks after visiting the Ilisha-1 gas field in Bhola on Friday (November 1).

Fouzul Kabir Khan said, "We are still facing a severe gas shortage. We currently need 4,000 MMCF of gas, but we are only getting 2,000. To bridge this gap, we are importing gas from various countries, which is causing a substantial drain on foreign reserves. To meet the shortfall, approximately Tk600 crore is spent annually on LNG imports. We are making strong efforts to increase domestic gas production by developing new gas fields."

"From now on, no project will be undertaken without open competition, and the work will be awarded to the one who provides the best proposal through tender. In such cases, expert committee advice will be taken," he added.

At the event, he promised to solve Bhola's power problems and create gas-based industries. The Secretary of the Ministry of Power and Energy, the Chairman of Petrobangla, Deputy Commissioner Azad Jahan, and other senior officials were there.