Photo: Collected
The newly created gas crisis due to pipeline damage in Chattogram has halted 3,147 MW of electricity generation in various power plants across the country as the supply of LNG and gas became stuck on 10 July.
The repair work of the damaged Anwara-Fouzdarhat gas pipeline may take a minimum of 48 hours. There will be low gas pressure in the distribution areas of Titas and Bakhrabad during the repairs, according to sources.
Petrobangla data shows that gas supply to the national grid has decreased. On 10 July, gas supply was recorded at 2582.8 mmcfd, 2619.8 mmcfd on 9 July, 2575.3 mmcfd on 8 July, 2636.5 mmcfd on 7 July, and 2592 mmcfd on 6 July.
Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) data shows, 2,925 MW power generation was halt for gas shortage on 9 July, 2,934 MW on 8 July, 2,339 MW on 7 July, 2,419 MW on 6 July.
Zanendra Nath Sarker, chairman of Petrobangla directed to repair the damaged pipeline on an urgent basis by taking appropriate plans. GTCL said that on Wednesday (July 10) morning, the contractor reached the site with work force and equipment.
He told the Daily Messenger “Its an unexpected incident but I hope crisis will be recovered be two days.”
According to Petrobangla sources, GTCL's 42-inch diameter Anwara-Fouzdarhat high pressure gas transmission pipeline was damaged during soil test work for construction of CEPZ's jetty.
The pipeline is located 1.5 metres deep in the ground at a distance of 280 metres from the river bank. The repair work has already started, if the conditions are favourable, the work will be completed within 48 hours.
On the evening of 9 July, the sub-contractor Fast Harbor Construction Pipeline of CRBC (China Road Bridge Construction Limited), assigned to BEZAr Anwara CEPZ (China EPZ) has damaged on the Anwara side of the Karnaphuli River at Magherchar (between Kafco and Bangabandhu Tunnels) under Anwara Police Station of Chittagong District. As a result, the mentioned pipeline of GTCL became leaky due to the hit of the cutter during the soil test by placing the rig on the pipeline.
The engineers of GTCL's Chittagong office arrived at the spot and identified the location of the rig on the pipeline. A wide range of gas leaks was seen under the rig. The matter was immediately reported to the higher authorities of Petrobangla and GTCL.
Currently, the supply of LNG is 600 mmcfd in KGDCL's Chittagong Ring Main Pipeline (including Kafco, Shiklbaha Power Station) at the rate of 250-260 mmcfd, but the supply of LNG to TGTDCL and BGDCL regions through National Gas Grid has been stopped during pipeline maintenance work.
Messenger/Disha
