DHAKA, Nov 12, 2025 (BSS) – The state-run Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) today said works were underway to explore natural gas in 11 wells for enhanced gas supply up to an expected volume of 143 million cubic feet (mmcfd).

   “We expect about 143 mmcfd gas will be supplied to the national gas grid upon successful drilling and work over operations of 11 wells concurrently,” Petrobangla spokesman Tariqul Islam Khan told BSS.

    He said the Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX), a key-subsidiary of Petrobangla, was carrying out the explorations, currently drilling eight wells.

   Khan, who is a deputy general manager of Petrobangla, said their organization intensified several exploration programmes and developed work plan to drill 50 wells drilling by 2025–26 and 100 wells by 2026–28.

   The drilling operations would go hand in hand with “workover”, a term used to mean operations that involves invasive techniques to repair or stimulate an existing gas well to restore, prolong or enhance production.

   The wells where the drilling and workover are underway are: Sylhet-10, Sylhet-11, Rashidpur-11, Srikail-5, Habiganj-5, Kailashtila-1, Beanibazar-2, Semutang-6, Titas-28, Titas-31 in northeastern and southeastern region and Bhola in the southwestern Bangladesh.

   BAPEX is credited for its latest discovery in June this year when it confirmed extractable gas in Block-8 in Jamaplur-1 exploration well, which is the first ever discovery in the block.

   The state-run company has been drilling four deep wells, two in Titas and Bakhrabad fields under BGFCL and two wells in Srikail field and Mobarakpur structure. 

   Simultaneously seismic data acquisition processing and interpretation are being carried out by BAPEX, BGFCL, and SGFL in their respective blocks to identify new leads or prospects and drillable well locations. 

   The Petrobangla spokesman said consequently, gas production from indigenous sources would be elevated to mitigate the existing gas crisis.

   Besides, the BAPEX plans drill a total of 19 more wells in Bhola to evaluate discovered gas reserve.