Bangladesh currently has 7.63 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of recoverable natural gas reserves, while the country is experiencing a daily gas supply deficit of around 1,146 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd), Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood told Parliament Monday.
Responding to a question from Jamaat MP Md Tajuddin Khan (Meherpur-1), the minister said the country's recoverable gas reserves stood at 7.63 Tcf as of 1 January 2026.
Finance and law ministries get parliamentary standing committees to hold them accountable
The minister said the current daily demand for natural gas is approximately 3,800 million cubic feet (MMcfd), based on the approved gas load of consumers connected under eight customer categories.
Against this demand, the average daily gas supply during fiscal year 2025-26 up to April 2026 was around 2,654 MMcfd, leaving a supply shortfall of about 1,146 MMcfd per day, he said.
To ensure future energy security, reduce import dependency and enhance domestic capacity, the government has undertaken a series of initiatives, the minister said.
Under a programme to expand domestic gas production, the government has planned the drilling and workover of 150 wells by 2031. Of these, drilling and workover operations have already been completed on 28 wells.
He said the approval of development projects and other necessary activities are currently underway at the ministry, Petrobangla and company levels to facilitate the remaining drilling and workover programmes.
The Minister also highlighted ongoing seismic survey activities aimed at identifying new drilling locations.
He said around 4,500 line kilometres of 2D seismic data have been acquired in Blocks 7 and 9, while data processing work is in progress.
Besides, 3D seismic surveys covering 1,450 square kilometres around the Habiganj, Bakhrabad and Meghna gas fields are expected to commence shortly.
The government has also planned further 3D seismic surveys in several prospective areas, including 660 square kilometres in Char Fasson of Bhola, 650 square kilometres in Jamalpur, 632 square kilometres surrounding the Titas, Habiganj and Narsingdi gas fields, and 882 square kilometres covering structures adjacent to the Lamigao, Lalabazar, Gowainghat, Kailashtila South and Fenchuganj West gas fields.
As part of efforts to strengthen state-owned exploration company BAPEX, the government is proceeding with the procurement of two new drilling rigs with capacities of 2,000 and 1,500 horsepower respectively, the Minister said.
He further informed Parliament that the government has taken a policy decision to connect the gas fields discovered in Bhola to the national gas grid through the construction of Bhola-Barishal-Jajira-Mawa-Aminbazar pipeline, with implementation activities currently underway.