State Minister: Gas supply will improve in two days

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said gas supply will improve in the next two days.

"Besides, uninterrupted gas supply will be ensured by 2026,” Nasrul said while talking to journalists at the Secretariat on Sunday.

He said 20% of the gas supply is coming from imports. 

“Priority is to increase extraction of country’s own gas resources. Work is underway with a target of drilling 46 wells by 2025. Imports are supplying a total of 20% of gas in the system. We aim to maintain this ratio,” he added.

Nasrul Hamid said the gas shortage in some areas including the Chittagong region is temporary. Maheshkhali has two FSRUs (Floating Storage Re-Gasification Units) supplying LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). In one of these, the gas supply was temporarily stopped due to a technical fault. Another was then under regular maintenance. Because of this crisis, both are currently in operation. 

In response to a question, he said: “Currently the demand for gas is 3,800 million cubic feet. We can supply around 3,200 million cubic feet. Due to this, there is some shortage. Hopeful news is coming from domestic gas fields, as gas production is increasing.”

The state minister said the government will ensure uninterrupted gas supply by 2026, just as it achieved 100% electrification in 2021. By 2026, the daily demand will be 6,000 million cubic feet, he added.