The construction of the 30 km pipeline from Anwara to Fouzdarhat is already complete but since river crossing was not possible, the Liquid Natural Gas or LNG could not be added to the national grid.
After two failed attempts, Indian company Gypsum will make a third try to begin work for crossing the Karnaphuli River.
Anwara-Fouzdarhat project director, Sushil Kumar Sarkar, told Bangla Tribune “The contractor company faced problems during underwater drilling.”
The company has requested until 20 October to finish their work, he added.
On Sept 11, 2017, Indian company Gypsum and Bangladeshi entity, Gasmen, signed a joint agreement with Gas Transmission Company, GTCL. Drilling began on Mar 30 with initial snags resulting in the change of drilling sites.
Prime minister’s energy adviser, Dr Tawfiq e Elahi Chowdhury, said “We gave a chance to the contractor company though they failed in the first two attempts, because calling a new tender will waste more time.”
In the work, drill machine broke after a 40 inch tunnel was made with complications also caused by rising water level.
“Before the third attempt, we have taken some advanced preparations and have also flown in a specialist from Europe,” said an official of Gypsum.
Approved at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on 22 November, the project is being implemented under the 2010 special act to increase power and energy supply.
To be implemented in four stages, the expenditure is estimated to be Tk 716.9 million. On Apr 24 last, Excelerate Energy brought the floating terminal from Qatar to Bangladesh and began supplying LNG on Aug 18.
But since the work on the pipeline is not finished as yet, gas is only being supplied to Chittagong.
Next year, Summit Group is also supposed to bring LNG terminal which will increase supply. Bangladesh has signed LNG supply agreement with Qatar and Oman and decision has been taken to purchase LNG through spot marketing.