32 Wells Drilled in Seven Months, Adding 148 MMCF Gas

Bangladesh has accelerated efforts to increase domestic gas production, with 32 wells drilled in the seven months since the BNP-led government took office, adding nearly 148 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of gas to the national grid.

The government has set a target of drilling 150 wells by 2031 to increase domestic gas production and reduce dependence on imports. It also plans to drill another 150 wells between 2031 and 2035.

According to Petrobangla, 32 wells have already been completed under the programme. Sylhet Gas Fields Limited (SGFL) drilled 14 of them, Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX) drilled 11, and Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Limited (BGFCL) drilled seven.

The completed wells were initially expected to produce 134.4 MMCFD of gas. However, production from Habiganj-5 exceeded expectations, taking the combined output from the 32 wells to around 147.9 MMCFD, which is currently being supplied to the national grid.

Petrobangla’s Reservoir and Data Management Division said the full production potential of the completed wells is not yet being utilised. Another 60 MMCFD could potentially be added to the grid, but pipeline constraints are preventing the additional gas from being taken into the system.

Seven more wells are currently under construction as part of the 150-well programme. These include Rashidpur-13, Sundalpur-1 and 4, Titas-29 and 31, Bhola North and Bakhrabad-6. Petrobangla expects the drilling of these wells to be completed by January.

Once completed, the seven wells could add around 96 MMCFD of gas to the national grid. However, the full volume can be supplied only if adequate pipeline and processing capacity is available.

Petrobangla said 19 projects are currently underway, while another nine are in the approval process. These projects include plans to drill 31 wells. In addition, Petrobangla’s board will take initiatives to drill four more wells.

Energy analyst Shafiqul Alam said increasing domestic gas production could help reduce Bangladesh’s dependence on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG). He stressed that increasing production should be accompanied by timely development of infrastructure to ensure that newly discovered gas can reach the national grid.

He said the authorities need to take timely decisions so that newly identified gas reserves do not remain unused because of inadequate transmission infrastructure. The issue is particularly important as the current gap between gas demand and supply is already more than 1,000 MMCFD.

The government is also focusing on offshore exploration alongside onshore activities. Bangladesh has launched the Bangladesh Offshore Bidding Round 2026, offering 26 offshore blocks in the Bay of Bengal for oil and gas exploration.

At the same time, surveys are being conducted to identify potential locations for new wells. Authorities are analysing geological and other data before selecting locations for drilling.

Despite the increase in domestic production, the country still faces a significant gap between demand and supply. Daily gas demand is currently around 3,800 MMCFD, against supply of approximately 2,600 MMCFD. Of this, around 1,600 MMCFD comes from domestic sources and 900–1,000 MMCFD from LNG.

State-owned gas-producing companies currently supply around 700 MMCFD to the national grid. Their supply has increased from around 566 MMCFD following the addition of gas from the new wells. International oil companies contribute around 900 MMCFD.

Petrobangla Chairman Md Abdul Mannan said the government was prioritising new well drilling and workover activities to increase domestic gas exploration and production.

He said 32 wells had already been completed and were supplying gas to the national grid, although pipeline constraints meant their full production capacity could not yet be utilised.

Another seven wells are under construction, while 19 projects are underway and nine more are awaiting approval. These projects include plans to drill 31 wells.

The government plans to further strengthen domestic exploration and production alongside the development of necessary transmission infrastructure. If the planned 150 wells by 2031 and another 150 between 2031 and 2035 are completed, domestic gas production capacity could increase significantly.