The Sylhet-10 gas well in Jaintapur, Sylhet, though ready for extraction, remains dormant due to the absence of a functioning pipeline. Officials estimate that gas from the well, anticipated to yield 20–25 million cubic feet per day, may become available by February 2025.
A 6-inch diameter pipeline, connecting the well to Haripur, is nearing completion.
Sources at Sylhet Gas Fields Limited (SGFL) revealed that the pipeline construction is in its final stages.
Petrobangla Chairperson Janendra Nath Sarkar stated that efforts to complete the pipeline by December faced delays due to complications with the Roads and Highways Department (RHD).
"Approximately three kilometres of the pipeline remain unfinished. We have instructed its completion within a month. A Petrobangla team will visit Sylhet soon to expedite the process, potentially involving direct discussions with RHD if required," he added.
The news comes as a welcome development amid heightened gas demand during the upcoming summer, Ramadan, and irrigation seasons. Drilling at the Sylhet-10 well concluded in November 2023, uncovering three gas layers at depths of 2,460–2,475 metres, 2,540–2,576 metres, and 3,300 metres.
Energy and Mineral Resources Division estimates the reserve to range between 43.6 and 106 billion cubic feet of gas.
The excavation was financed by the Gas Development Fund and SGFL’s resources.
On 11 September 2022, SGFL signed an agreement with China’s Sinopec International Petroleum Services Corporation for the drilling.
Alongside gas, SGFL confirmed the presence of oil deposits at depths of 1,397–1,445 metres.
Preliminary tests yielded 70 barrels of oil within two hours, with further analyses underway.
A neighbouring well, Sylhet-10X, is under development, with drilling expected to conclude by June 2026.
It is projected to produce 45–50 million cubic feet of gas daily upon completion.
Bangladesh’s domestic gas production has steadily declined from 2,800 million cubic feet per day in previous years to 1,930 million cubic feet on 23 December.
Petrobangla forecasts a demand surge to 4,500 million cubic feet per day by FY2026–27, with some experts suggesting the current requirement already exceeds that figure.
The Sylhet-10 well offers a cost-effective addition to Bangladesh’s energy mix.
Domestic gas is sourced at varying rates—SGFL at Tk1 per cubic metre, Bangladesh Gas Fields Company at Tk1.25, Bapex at Tk4, and multinationals like Chevron and Tullow at significantly higher rates, averaging Tk6.07 per cubic metre.
LNG imports raise this average to Tk24.38 per cubic metre.
Adding 20–25 million cubic feet of gas daily at the lowest cost of Tk1 per cubic metre presents a significant relief amid soaring energy prices.
The Sylhet-10 oil quality has been deemed excellent following assessments by BUET and Eastern Refinery, according to Petrobangla.
Such discoveries, coupled with new wells under development, could pave the way for a more sustainable energy future in Bangladesh.
